Alexis's Story
by castlefan51
Summary: This fic follows "Cops and Robbers" up until the blast, then it goes totally A/U and OOC. All mistakes, bad grammar, and spelling are my mistakes, but Marlowe still owns them!
1. Chapter 1

The long road….

Beckett's phone rang and she answered it without even looking at the ID of who was calling, because she knew it was Castle. "Tell me you need me" he said…

Her mind went into overdrive trying to figure out exactly what he had meant. She countered with "excuse me"

Castle told her of his current predicament with his mother at the bank and wanted to know if there were any body drops he could help her with.

She came back with "there are no dead bodies, just a pile of paperwork" she said to, him and wondered to herself why he was always ready to find justice for a heinous crime but became scarce when there was the paperwork to be done to close the case.

Just as he decided that listening to his mother argue with the bank manager was a lost cause he moved out to the lobby of the bank and stood by the kiosk that housed the deposit & withdrawal slips.

Looking towards the front door he noticed that a man and a woman entered the bank and they had suspicious bulges under their coats. Beckett was still waiting for him to continue their conversation when he said "I think this bank is going to be robbed"

Beckett dismissed his comment and said "Castle I think your writers imagination is turning your brain to mush"

Just then there was a loud sound coming from the front door and the order was shouted out "everybody get down on the floor" Castle looked to see where his mom was and realized that she was safe for the time being, the robbers corralled everyone in the bank and with the exception of the bank manager, Martha and himself who were still in the manager's office. Castle then told Beckett that "this was not his imagination working in overdrive". Kate's heart sunk.

Kate asked what was going on and he gave her his location "I am at New Amsterdam Bank and Trust" Beckett looked to Javi and Kevin and asked them to report to dispatch that there was a 10-30 in progress, Kevin said "a 10-30 since when are handling bank robbery calls?" Kate looked at them both and said "Castle's there"

Kate went into detective mode and started to pump Castle for any information he could give her. He told her that there were 4 of them and that they were way too efficient to be just dime store bank robbers. The standoff continued Beckett had a in with one of the robbers named Trapper John, she talked to him on Castles phone and it was clear that he was the leader. She made the comment that since no one was hurt, and nothing was stolen yet this would just be a blurb in the metro section if he left the same way he came in it would end. He stated "you got to promise not to come look for me?"

Kate was furious and told him "I don't look, I hunt, and trust me you don't want that" She continued "So leave now and this will just be a quirky little article in the metro section"

Castle looked to his captor and he told Kate, "Sorry sweetheart I'd rather make the front page" With that said he threw Castle's phone to the floor and crushed it under his foot destroying the phone while all the time he had a Smith & Wesson SW1911 pointed at Castle. Having Martha, Castle, and the bank manager now get up and move to the other hostages he took the master safety deposit box key from the bank manager's neck and turned to the task at hand. Trapper John heard the sirens in the distance and informed that the other robbers that they would have company very soon. They were trained for just this contingent.

Just then Castle reached for Martha's hand giving her a look of security.

Swat teams took up position around the perimeter of the bank, Kate decided that her knowledge was more useful at the scene. Upon entering the command post she announced herself to the ranking officer. His name was Captain Peterson. He looked like a no nonsense type of man. When Kate had told him that her partner was on the inside he almost fell over "you mean to tell me that we have a cop inside the bank?"

Kate clarified to him what her partner actually was "Sir he is a civilian investigator"

She gave him a rundown of all she knew and told him exactly what Castle told her. He took the information and thanked her and told her to leave his command post.

Ryan and Espo were waiting outside the command post and asked Beckett what was going on. She explained to them that their services were not needed.

Beckett had a disgusted look on her face and could not believe that she could actually contribute something to this standoff. So with this in her mind she briefly thought about Castle and what he must be thinking right now. She told Espo and Ryan to look over other possible MO's that fit what was going on here. With that they left hoping that they could help. Kate was beside herself, she did not want anything to happen to Castle. This would really put her at a disadvantage because little did he know, she had fallen for him, not just as partners but she actually opened up her heart to the possibility that she could love him the way he deserved. She was sure of this so, getting him out of this alive was her top priority. Captain Peterson's aide walked out of the command post and was about to call Beckett's name but hesitated a second when he saw Espo and Ryan make a beeline for their Crown Vic.

" What was that about" as he walked over to Kate. She told him that there were a couple of things that she wanted her team to check out. He looked back to the command post and then told her that Captain Peterson wanted to see her. Walking back into the command post after having been so rudely kicked out she opened her mouth to ask what he wanted but before she could say one syllable and Peterson laid into her, "What the hell were you thinking?" Kate looked at him a little hurt all she really wanted to do was end this standoff "I was just trying to help out sir" "What by charming the bank robber?

Kate is flabbergasted and replies "What"? Peterson continues with "we get him on the horn and before I can get two words out he says that he will only talk to the lady cop, the one with the bedroom voice" Kate is at a loss for words, and tells Peterson that she is not the right person for this job. He denies her request and tells her that she is in. He tells her to do exactly the opposite of her homicide training tells her, it's not about finding the next clue. But rather keeping the situation calm. The phone rings and it's patched through to Kate while Peterson listens in, 'hi this is Detective Beckett I understand that you wanted to speak with me?"

Kate asks him his name and he comes back with Trapper John. Beckett quickly associates him with the show M*A*S*H and asks if he is a M*A*S*H fan. She asks him if there is anything she can do for him and he reads her like a book and tells her that he knows she is reading a page right out of Captain Confidence's play book. She knows that there is a pregnant bank teller and need to get her status on her health. Trapper John will not hear any of what she is saying to him, and this frustrates her. So instead he tells her how it is "Kate, if you lie to me, I kill hostages, if you jerk me around, I kill hostages, if you storm the bank I will kill hostages….and Kate I'll start with your boyfriend"

The line goes dead and Kate's heart sinks so far into her gut that she can't believe what she just heard. The fact that Trapper John could even consider harming anyone in the bank puts her on the defensive. The scene outside the bank has changed, people vying to get a picture on their cell phones, some waiting for any news about loved ones inside, but the police have set up barricades 150 feet from the bank entrance and made bystanders move beyond the barriers. Kate gets a pep talk from Peterson telling her that moving forward in a situation like this may not be the wisest move to make sometimes doing nothing is the plan. Kate rests her head on her hands and wonders what Castle is doing at this very moment.

Meanwhile inside the bank the gears in Castles mind are wheeling. All the hostages sit in a circle and he asks "is everyone ok? Is anyone hurt? They all nod to the positive and he is relieved. Then a man named Sal Martino blames Castle for bringing the police to the bank so early. Simone the bank teller tells Sal "The robbers brought this on themselves because they pulled the pulled the bottom bills from the cash drawer thus setting off the silent alarm" The bank manager agrees and says "It's no one's fault" Everyone is on edge considering what could happen and before things get totally out of hand Castle calms them down and asks Dr. Howser if they could arrange bathroom runs. He is already thinking about the way he can gather information. After all the hostages go the restroom, they compare notes and come up with two facts, the robbers are forgetting about all the cash that's lying in the unopened vault, and Trapper John is spending an awful amount of time in the safe deposit box area. Asking the bank manager if he can tell him the number of a specific box by its location. The manager says sure. Castle gives him the row and column location and he says it's Safe Deposit Box 120.

Kate decided to get a breath of fresh air and headed outside. Stepping onto the sidewalk she noticed Espo walking up to her. She walked over to him and asked him what he found out. Her first question was about the bank cameras, he said "They were all disabled" She then asked what the probability was if CSU went in blind and stormed the bank?

He looked away and right then and there she knew the result would be very, very bad for the hostages. Feeling defeated Kate walked back to the command post and just as she sat down then the phone rang. She strapped the headset to her head and started talking to Trapper John. He was in no mood for being strung along and made a demand for a bus with tinted windows and a jet fueled up and ready to fly at Teterboro airport to bring them to a non-extradition country of their choosing. And only at this time would they consider releasing Simone the expectant bank teller. After completing his demands he gave Kate only 3 hours to make it happen.

She was stunned when Peterson demanded to his aide to get all the things Trapper John had requested. Kate looked at him like he was a nut! But there was a method to his madness, he figured that the bus would be a way to lure them out and take them out before they had a chance to know what had hit them.

Peterson's aide called Beckett and Peterson to check out something odd he was seeing on the monitor. Both walking over and looking at the flashes of light bouncing off the ceiling neither could understand what they were seeing. Then it hit Kate "Morse Code" she said. It was Castle always trying to find a way to get her some much needed information. She was always amazed about how he could make something out of nothing. They decoded the message and it was for safe deposit box 120 owned by a couple named Agnes and Gideon Fields.

Meanwhile Sal had just returned back from another bathroom run and he told Castle what he had noticed on the way back. "I think they were white bricks and there were detonators lying nearby, I think it could be C-4. Martha and Castle looked like they just had seen a ghost, their faces were so white. This was not a good thing and Castle took inventory of the hostages and thought if he could protect at least half of them he did his best knowing keeping some of them alive was worth the risk.

Ryan and Espo arrived at the apartment of Agnes Fields and announced themselves as NYPD officers. There was only silence. Yelling again they only heard the faint sounds on a radio playing in the background. Looking at each other the choice was a clear one. They both raised their legs and busted down the door. After gaining entry to the apartment the stench of death was over powering. Kevin needed to cover his nose to stop the smells attacking his nose. In the meantime Javi was hitting the speed dial on his phone to reach Kate.

Answering her phone Kate asked what was going on Javi replied and informed that Agnes Fields was dead. Her key for the safe deposit box had been ripped from her neck and it looks like she was murdered about a week ago….strangled. Looking around, Ryan noticed a broken lamp by his feet and looked down, something with a black finish caught his eye. He knelt down and retrieved the item and he said, "Hey check this out" Beckett was still on speaker and asked "what is it" Ryan replied "it's a bug, and not from a spy shop either this one looks professional". After hearing this Kate turned looking away from the bank and she almost stopped what she was saying when she saw Alexis walking towards her. Still on the phone she told the boys to get everything they could on Agnes Fields. Hanging up the phone Alexis started with nonstop questions "there in there aren't they, my dad and grams?" "I know that they were coming down here and now neither of them are answering their cell phones and dad always takes calls and now you are here" Kate sees the terror of the situation in her eyes and reassures her. "Alexis everything will be fine, but they are inside that bank."

Seeing that Simone is starting to get uncomfortable sitting on the hard floor he stands up and asks Dr. Quinn if he can provide her with some couch cushions all the time her uzi was pointed at him ready to fire but after thinking about it she agrees with Castle. He moves over to the couch and from behind he hears what sounds like someone struggling to breathe. He spins and around and sees Sal getting up but he is acting odd like he is a puppet and as Castle thinks this, Sal's body stiffens up and he falls back to the floor. Rick runs over to Sal's side and assesses his condition. Noticing a medical alert bracelet on his left wrist he reads that Sal has epilepsy. Dr. Quinn tells Dr. Howser to advise Trapper John about the situation and he does so, in the meantime Dr. Quinn tells Castle to help him and Castle has no idea about what to do. He is in over his head with Sal and tells her "Well Dr. Quinn unless you are really a medicine woman, this man needs a real hospital."

Outside the bank Kate and Alexis are talking "What am I supposed to do?" "Do you understand they're all I've got" Kate tries to reassure her telling her that they are doing everything humanly possible to get them out safely but Alexis hears none of this she has gone into protective mode and can't believe this is happening. Again Alexis says "They're all I've got I can't believe that this is happening" Kate wants to say something to her but she is not sure if she should say it. She decides to anyway " Alexis I promise you that they are going to be ok" This snaps Alexis out of her haze and tells Kate "they better be" Kate looks at her in shock and now she wishes that she never made this promise. Alexis did not mean to sound so ungrateful when she said her words, but Kate really needed to know how she felt. Pulling out her cell phone she calls Ashley and thinking he actually answers starts to talk, but then realizing that it's his voicemail she waits for his greeting to finish. She tells him about the current situation with her dad and grams and then asks him to call her back because she needs his support. Hanging up the phone she thinks that he has been so distant recently and wonders if a long distance relationship is worth it. Peterson's aide tells Kate that there is an incoming call and rushes back to the command post. Picking up the phone she gets an earful from Trapper John telling her that there is a medical emergency with one of the hostages and he needs help fast.

Looking to Peterson after hearing what they both heard he decides that sending in a tactical team under the guise of retrieving the sick hostage will be their best option. Kate counters him with the following idea, what if we send a cop with tactical training to locate the robbers and bring that intel back to make a sound plan of attack. Peterson asks her "do you have a cop in mind?" knowing that this intel will be the hostages only hope she volunteers herself. Peterson agrees. Getting dressed into a borrowed FDNY Paramedic's uniform Kate is ready. She pushes the gurney to the front door of the bank and the door suddenly opens. Upon entering the lobby she is already making mental notes of what is going on around her, until she sees his beautiful blue eyes looking up to her. He is taken aback a bit, but then realizes that she has a mission to complete. Having her there he quickly grabs a deposit slip and writes on the back of it.

She kneels down to Sal's side and asks him about his condition he tells her that is does not look good. They get him ready to lift onto the gurney and place him there gently. Realizing that Beckett is strapping him to the gurney this is the time to slip her his note. She takes it from him and wheels Sal out of the bank lobby. She turns once more to look back at him and he sees the gentleness of her face, something he will never forget because he has fallen in love with this woman he can't imagine living another day without her knowing this and when he gets out of this current situation he will tell her how madly in love he is with her. Handing him off to the real paramedics she unfolds the note and can't believe what she sees. C-4 was the entire note.

Her mind now fearing the worst case scenario she reports back to Captain Peterson, but before she does this she notices Alexis too close to the bank and tells her to move beyond the official police barricade. Her safety is at risk now too. Ashley calls her back and he is in a rush and as soon as she tries to get a word in the line goes dead. So much for his support she thinks. Beckett advises Peterson that there is C-4 in the bank and he rules out a tactical breech.

The phone rings and its Trapper John. He is now furious about why his bus is not in front of the bank. Kate tells him that it's stuck in traffic and will arrive in about 20 mins. He will hear none of her excuses and he tells her that if the bus is not outside now he will start killing hostages, he lived up to his end of the deal and so should she. Getting more frustrated he raises his weapon and fires in the general direction of Castle and Martha. Kate hears the shot and almost drops the phone. "What was that?" she asks, he replies "That was just a warning shot the next will be for the kill. Kate is showing no mercy and lets loose into the speaker of the phone "Listen jackass I don't control traffic you're going to give me 20 mins because if you don't I will personally walk through those doors and put a bullet in your skull." Trapper John thinks about it and then agrees and gives Kate 20 more mins. Peterson is at a loss for words but comes up "well that's one way to negotiate".

Back inside the bank Trapper John tells Castle "Your girlfriend is a hellcat" Rick tells him "well she's not my girlfriend" He does not know what made him say that it could have been that he just wanted to jump right over the dating phase and go straight to proposing to her, he misses her and really wants to be out of this situation. Just then a cell phone rings and Dr. Huxtable answers. Trapper John looks back at Castle and he starts to put the clues together but he wants to know what he will do with the hostages he tells him that he snickers and tells him that he likes him and he will kill him last. At that statement Martha whimpers and covers her mouth in fear. Dr. Huxtable gets Trapper Johns attention and lets him know that they were "good to go". Asking all the hostages to get up they are all moved to the counting room near the vault. It is not actually in the vault but it is a small room off to the side of it. It has bars just like a jail cell and the robbers use this to their advantage. Making sure everyone is now secure in the counting room they get started on the last phase of their plan….getting away from the police.

Kate sat on the edge of the desk while Peterson made plans for the tactical breech. She kept wondering why Trapper John hadn't asked something from her in return for the additional 20 mins. Peterson looked at her and asked what was wrong and she made her thoughts known. Peterson said not to worry about and take this as a win. It still nagged at her. All the hostages now had their hands bound with zip ties. Martha leaned her head on Castles shoulder and apologized to her son for dragging him with her to the bank. "It's ok mother don't worry, I love you"

Beckett's cell started to ring, fishing it out of her uniform pocket she slid the button to answer it. "Beckett" Espo started telling her about everything that they found out about Agnes Fields. The news was not what she was hoping for and this seemed to set them back two steps rather than moving forward. Just then while Kate started to ask Espo if there was any way they could get In touch with Agnes son-in –law Ron Brandt, as she nearly completed her sentence a massive explosion rocked the command post. Kate made her way out of the command post and was met with concrete dust and debris everywhere. It was hard to breath but all she could think about was Castle and if he was ok…


	2. Chapter 2

The beginning of the end….

Her world was coming to a screeching halt. This cannot be happening now just as she thought the standoff would be over and now this. She drew her gun and headed into the bank to search for any signs of life. The SWAT teams were alongside of her she called out his name "Castle" It now became clear to her that she needed to find him "Castle" She called again, but still no reply. Moving towards the vault she noticed that the wall opposite the counting room had a huge hole blown through it. Then she made the gruesome discovery. There were bodies strewn all over the small room. Most not moving, some with missing limbs and a couple of them had a look of dismay on their faces. Beckett called out to the other responding officers and let them know that she found the hostages.

She was making her way over to the collapsed wall and she noticed the look of fear on Simone's face. "Simone have you seen Richard Castle or his mother anywhere?" She was slow to answer but told Kate that they were both opposite her against the wall when the C-4 went off. Simone had a chunk of wall and other debris on her lower legs but Kate thought she would be alright. She turned and was almost struck down by what she was now seeing. There he was Rick Castle lying face down with rubble and debris covering him. If it wasn't her knowing what he was wearing that day when she got Sal Martino earlier she would have not given that body a second look. Then she noticed a smaller figure not too far away from him their hands holding each others lovingly. It was Martha. Quickly Kate moved to both of them Kate reached Maratha's arm first and felt for a pulse. She has to have a pulse…she has to….Kate felt her pulse this was a relief. After looking her over she looked to have a compound fracture of her femur, numerous cuts and bruises and second degree burns over 30 % of her back nothing that life threatening. Martha lets out a soft moan and rapidly blinks her eyes at Kate, she tries to speak but the words never leave her throat. Kate tells her that the medics are nearby and that she needs to see about Rick's condition. Martha grabs Kate's hand and stops her from moving over to him, "Kate darling" she says after finding her voice "there's no need to go over to him he is feeling no pain" Kate does not understand her meaning but moves over to him anyway. She uncovers a lot of rubble to expose most of his body grabs hold of his wrist and is frantically searching for a pulse. She tries three more locations and can't seem to find anything at all.

For Kate the rest of the recovery is a blur. Paramedics are moving around her getting Martha stable and all she can do is look at his lifeless body on the floor. Tears start to fall and they leave a wet trail on her face. They need to get his body removed from the scene but she will not move, she never told him how she felt about him and her body starts to shake uncontrollably. The paramedics finally get her away from his body long enough to put him into a body bag and place him on a stretcher. Walking slowly with his body holding on to the stretcher mostly for balance Kate and the medics they make their way out of the bank. Just as they get to the lobby doors it hits her….Alexis, oh shit what have I done. Alexis was glad when she saw grams being taken to the hospital now she just needed to see her dad in one piece as well. This sadly would not be the case. Kate was the first to exit the bank and when Alexis saw her she had the biggest smile on her face, now everything would be fine her dad would follow hurt and bruised but still be with them. Kate looked to Alexis and watched her smile fade replaced with fear, then anger. The medics rolled the stretcher almost right past her she ordered them to stop and open the body bag, Kate reached for her arm to keep her from looking but it was already too late. The medic unzipped the top of the bag and then Alexis lost it. Crying uncontrollably she now realized her worst fears had come full circle. Turning towards Kate, she tried to explain what had happened to her father. "Alexis I just wanted to tell- Alexis raised her hand and slapped Kate so hard that she felt it burn immediately "You Bitch, you made a promise to me and you told me that they would be fine" Alexis pointed to the body bag that her father was now in.

"Kate does he look fine?" She screamed at her with the emphasis on "fine"?

Kate was getting bombarded by Alexis like she was a pro she really could not blame her but she needed to understand that she was not to blame, it was the dam bank robbers. Alexis just stared at her father in the bag and when Kate went to console her she spun around and told Kate "What we had between us" her finger pointing at each other "is now over" "I don't ever want to know you exist after I leave here." "I trusted you and now that's all gone. But I just want to let you in on one little secret my father had told me about 2 weeks after you were shot that he had finally came to his senses and made up his mind that he was truly and madly in love with you. He told me that he was waiting for the right moment to tell you, but we both know that it will never happen now. So detective have a great life!" After Alexis left she rethought about the little fact she told Kate, not to be spiteful towards her but she felt she would want to know about it. Now thinking about it she might have made a huge mistake in telling her.

Kate was numb all over so much that she could not move from where she was. Her face still stung from where Alexis had slapped her but her mind was still reeling... Rick was going to tell her that he loved her. She was in shock and could not think straight. She needed to go to the hospital and see Martha to find out if there was anything Castle had said to her before he died. Because of the nature of this case and since Kate was involved in the negations in the bank robbery she had to file a preliminary report of the bank incident. Her visit with Martha would need to wait until tomorrow.

The ME concluded that the cause of death for Richard Castle was blunt force trauma a piece of concrete had acted like a projectile when the explosion occurred. A three foot piece of re-bar sticking out of the concrete ripped through Castles femoral artery on his right leg and along with other bodily damage he went into shock and bled out in about three minutes.

Lanie called Kate to the morgue and wanted to explain to her how Castle left this world knowing she wanted to how Castle died. Kate told her that she needed to keep their visit brief because of what happened with Alexis the other day. She really did not need to deal with a raging redhead again. Kate listened to Lanie as she described to her how Castle had died, by the end of Lanies account she looked over to see Kate with tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Lanie "I loved him so much and now how will I make it through my days without him?" Lanie had no way to answer her best friend's question only to tell her that she was so sorry.

Upon reaching the hospital room of Martha Rodgers Kate noticed there was a commotion coming from her room. Coming closer to her room she saw Alexis tucked in the corner of the room she was unable to get around all the doctors in the room and was glad that Alexis could not see her. Moving back away from the doorway Kate listened to everything that was being said. One doctor stated that if her body could not fight off the infection she would not have a chance because her heart was not strong enough to survive something like this. Another doctor agreed and just as he finished his sentence the heart monitor sounded with a steady tone and not the customary beeps.

The room went crazy everyone shouting orders to get her heart beating again. Drugs were administered without really having any effect. A d-fib machine was used, and again after four shocks at different voltages was also no use. All of their efforts were in vain though, after four minutes of trying to resuscitate her, the order was clear everyone stopped what they were doing and the elder doctor reached in for a pulse finding nothing there he announced time of death at 1543.

Kate raised her hand to her mouth and quietly sobbed uncontrollably. Sinking to the floor and wondering how this was happening all over again. Yesterday she thought Martha was doing fine. Her thoughts then went to Alexis, not only now was she an orphan but she had now just probably lost the only mother figure she had in her life. She really could never count on Meredith to fill that bill. The room started to clear out and Kate realized that she should get moving before Alexis caught her in the hospital.

Heading to the elevator she pressed the down button and was in deep thought when she heard her name being called by a familiar voice. "Detective Beckett" she turned to see Alexis walking towards her and tried to make a break for the opening elevator doors. "Wait don't leave yet" Alexis grabbed for Kate's arm and she pulled her back off the elevator. Kate did not know what to expect from Alexis so she raised her hand to her face to ward off any type of slap that she thought was coming her way.

Alexis was totally unprepared for what she witnessed from Kate, but understood why she did what she did. "Kate I will not hurt you and I apologize for my actions and attitude the other day." She looked into the younger woman's eyes and saw that she meant what said. Alexis needed to have the comfort of someone her father loved and decided that that Kate needed it also. She wrapped her arms around Kate's body and hugged her. Kate could not hold it in any longer and started to cry. Her body was shaking so hard she was not sure if it was her or Alexis who was doing the shaking. Neither wanted their embrace to end but something needed to be said.

Kate "I am now all alone and I have no one left" "I don't know what to do now." Kate looked at Alexis a little hurt and thought about what she wanted to say to her. She started with saying "Alexis you will always have me and I love you like you were my own child even though I never gave birth to you". They moved to some seats across from the elevators. "Without them I don't have the drive to do anything anymore". Listening if she was done talking Kate started with "there's still school to go to". Alexis had decided that this was not the wisest path she needed to follow. Actually she had another idea in her mind one that would take a lot of planning and training and honor her father's memory of what he was doing before he died.

"I think that I am going to move in a different direction with my life" and "I will be traveling for quite some time". Kate did not like where this conversation was headed. She did not want to lose the only person that reminded her of Rick. "Are you sure about this" Kate asked? Alexis noticed the worry in Kate's face and tried to reassure her. I have a plan and I need to know if you will support me no matter what I decide to do. She was a little reluctant but agreed to her terms.

With that decided made, now Kate and Alexis had to plan two funerals. Alexis was amazed with the way Kate could get things done with the full support of the NYPD behind her. The funeral went off without a hitch but there were some nervous cops there remembering the last time there were all together in the cemetery. Bag pipes played and the service was presided over by a Catholic priest. When the time came for the people closest to Castle to say something there was no hesitation. Alexis spoke first and spoke from her heart. She will always remember her father and Grandmother no matter what. They were a driving force in her life and had made her want more from life. Turning away from the podium she placed a single white rose on each coffin. Next it was Kate's turn. She got up and faced the podium, and in her mind stumbled over what she wanted to say when she looked out at all the people there. I was in love with Rick Castle. Everyone in attendance could not believe what they had just heard. She continued telling everyone that he was more than her partner he was her savior in more ways than even he could ever imagine. His written word had gotten me though the hardest of times after her mother was murdered. Concluding her final comments she also placed a single red rose on the top of each coffin. The honor guard raised their rifles and shot 21 times, although Castle was not a cop, he had once saved the city from a certain "dirty bomb" thus deserving the salute. The mourners started to filter out of the cemetery and then the service was finished.


	3. Chapter 3

Redemption

It had been just about four years since Castles funeral. It had also been the last time she had any contact with Alexis. She had missed her something fierce but never understood why she stayed away without any word for her. She tried calling, texting, and even emailing, & skyping. She had even thought of hiring a private detective. But one day after returning back from a crime scene in Chelsea she thought she had seen her crossing the street. She had to take a closer second look, but she still had her doubts, this woman had the same color red hair but it was a lot shorter than it was four years ago. Her frame was thinner but a lot more muscular almost like a body builders. Kate made a mental note to see if she actually was back in the city.

Her grandmother and father were both gone, there was nothing to keep her here in a city that really did not notice that she could make a difference. So she booked a trip to Tokyo Japan the day after the funeral and started putting her plan into play. It would be a long road, but one she thought would be righteous. The fact that her father was now gone she thought what she wanted to do now he would appreciate her path wherever he was. Her first stop was the Kyumeikan Kendo Dojo. It had one of the best hand to hand combat schools that Tokyo had to offer. When she arrived at the school she worked alongside the best-black belts in the school for the first four months, but to her there was something missing the courses were excellent, but she wanted more, so much much more. With money being no problem, she asked her teacher if there was another more radical type of training that she could benefit from.

At first he brushed her off telling her she was just some rich kid who had nothing better to do than waste her money. But after he worked with her for two years she had a determination about her always wanting to know more about the subject she was studying. So giving it a lot of thought he told her that he knew what she wanted to do and if she wanted his help once she accepted his offer there would be no turning back. The training would be strict and it would always be relentless. She accepted his offer and got ready for the second part of her plan. Her teacher knew that there was a force that drove Alexis, but could not quite put his finger on what drove her so hard. She had spent all of her time well here and never showed any disrespect towards any of her teachers.

The training location was in the city of Hakodate. It was about three hours north of Tokyo. The train ride there was remarkable. The countryside was amazing nothing like the states. She barely had time to eat when the announcement was made that they were getting ready to arrive in Hakodate. Collecting her belongings she got off the train. Scanning the crowd for the man she had an image of in her mind was proving harder than she thought.

Walking up and down the train platform no one met her so she found a shady area and waited. Fifteen minutes went by and still no one contacted her. Her teacher in Tokyo told her she would be met by an older gentleman and he could be possibly be running late so do not worry. His name was Kei. He observed Alexis from a hidden area of the train station. He was curious about her and what she did with her idle time.

He watched her for about 20 minutes and now that he was satisfied he moved to meet her. Walking up to her, she looked perplexed not believing who was in front of her. He introduced himself and said to her "Konnichiwa Castleson" She bowed as is the custom and stated "Kon'nichiwa Kei. Watashinonamaeha arekushisudesu. O ai dekite kōeidesu. (Good afternoon Kei. It is a pleasure to meet you) He was amazed at her command of the Japanese language and said "your Japanese is excellent where did you learn to speak it like that?" Alexis replied "I had a great instructor from Okinawa." "I learned the language when I was very young and it just stuck with me" He might have underestimated her. He told her "even though you are able to understand my language I would like you to state all your future conversations in English. She agreed. He was not at all what she expected he was in his late eighties at least. He stood about five feet tall and did not have one ounce of fat on his body. He sported a traditional fu-Manchu beard.

Alexis wanted to know more about Kei it was in her nature. So she started asking him questions. He just observed her. He could tell that she was getting a little frustrated when he did not reply. So she just stopped altogether. "Is this your solution?" She looked at him with respect and said "I try to know everything about the environment I am a part of." He thought to himself she was going to be a very disciplined student, but would she want to learn what he had to teach her?

The walk back to his compound from the train station went quickly by. Neither saying a word. The sun was just about to set. Upon reaching his home Kei, introduced his wife to Alexis. After this was done he offered her something to eat for dinner. It was a basic meal of rice, Kani (crab), Ika (squid) and hotate (scallops) and to wash it down a full cold glass of milk. With dinner finished Kei excused himself from the table asking Alexis to accompany him. He made his way down a narrow hallway. Turning to his left, he showed her the training gym. Looking in she noticed that there was also a very large room off the right side of the gym but it looked like it has not been used in quite a while. Kei traveled back towards the hallway again and then made a right turn coming to a very small and very sparse room. "This will be your living quarters for the next two years. This room is used only for meditating and resting. Nothing else will be done in this room" Alexis nodded

Training started the next morning before the sun ever came up. An eight mile run started the day off even before she was allowed to eat. She thought to herself this is not going to be as easy as I thought. After the run, there was a single bowl of rice and a glass of water waiting for her when she returned. She had made the run in about forty minutes. Her physical exercise changed from day to day. Since they were near the coast swimming was inserted into her regiment. Finished with her rice bowl, she spent about four hours working with the free weights and toning her legs and upper body. After her physical training part of her day was done Kei brought her to a converted bedroom which was now the one room of three she was allowed to enter into. In it there was a basic blackboard, a desk and only one window which was made of rice paper so you couldn't even look out of it. This is where she learned everything about the ways of the ancient ninja. Alexis laughed to herself when Kei mentioned the ninja's dad always had an obsession with them. Kei taught her that unlike the modern martial arts that were taught now, there was no discipline associated with the learning of the art. He told her "This will all change in this room are you ready" Alexis agreed. Her days were filled with every possible tactical move that could be thrown at her. Kei was noticing how she could almost anticipate what he would throw at her before he actually did it.

A year had passed and Alexis had advanced further than Kei could have imagined. Now would be the last and final phase of her training. After returning from her pre-dawn run absent, was the daily rice bowl. Alexis searched for Kei but found no trace of him in the compound. Suddenly she heard a noise and turned to see what it was. Nothing was there. From above Kei was hanging from the ceiling rafter inching slowly to the top of her head. In his hand was a wadded up cloth with enough chloroform to knock out an elephant. Lowering his hand but still out of her view he smothered the cloth to her face. Alexis's eyes fluttered she tried to defend herself but since Kei was hanging so her attack was useless. She woke with a king-sized headache. She looked around the room she thought she was in but seeing no sliver of light anywhere she had to blink to make sure her eyes were still working. Getting up and feeling around she assessed that she was confined in a very small cell. Very bad thoughts had entered her mind.

She wondered if this was a part of her "torture training" but couldn't rule anything out. She was hungry having had nothing to eat since last night. She thought she was out cold for about six hours so it would be close to noon. It was getting hot due to it almost noon, but there was more heat than usual. It must have climbed to about 115 degrees in this room. Just then ten floodlights powered up and the room was filled with a bright light. Now this is different she thought. The floodlights were on for about four hours and with the additional heat in the room she needed to cool her body down. Removing her running suit she was left with her running shorts and sports bra. It helped but not enough. It was impossible to see where she was because of the brightness of the flood lights. The lights stayed on well into the night. Her stomach was telling her brain that it needs some type of nutrition. Getting weaker she finally passes out around two thirty in the following morning.

Kei was impressed with her problem-solving skills, from what he observed on the closed circuit TV cameras not only had she adapted to the heat of the room by removing her unneeded clothing, but she also went into meditation mode and kept her captivity in her mind at bay. Now comes the next challenge.

When Alexis woke again she was bombarded by very loud music it was so loud she could not even identify what type of music it actually was. She only felt like she got about three hours of sleep, but about five feet in front of the cell there on the floor was a bowl of rice and a bottle of water. She needs to get to the rice and water but with it being so far from her she needed to do some quick problem-solving. Formulating a plan she ripped the cuff of her running suit to roll up two little pieces of cloth. Quickly squeezing them into her ears the sound of the music deadens immensely. The cell bars have enough space between them for her to swing her running pants the distance to try and drag the rice over. Gauging the distance from her to the water and rice, she tears the material the distance to hook the rice. Making a lasso at the end of her makeshift rope and after several attempts she is successful enough to get the rice bowl. She is not so lucky trying to score the water. Inhaling the rice her stomach she could have used a lot more. The music seems to get a lot louder, but she does what she did the day before with the lights. She disconnects everything from where she is and thinks about her Dad and grams. This is where she can go to never forget him or her. Her mind is in a type of suspended animation. She has been caged for eight days now and the punishment has been a combination of bright lights, loud music, dripping water on the top of her cell, and the icing on the cake was she has not eaten anything since day two. Kei has witnessed enough. She is a very formidable woman. Everything comes to a stop in the room Alexis collapses on the floor. The door opens and Kei walks into the dimly lit room. He makes his way over to the front of the cell and inserts and twists the key in the lock he slowly swings the door open. Alexis lies on the floor but when Kei raises her up she is unstable at holding her own weight up. Kei lunges to catch her. He carries her to her room but before her eyes close she looks through the gym and notices that he has removed her from the room off the gym that has never been used. He places her down on the bed. Giving her a bottle of water she greedily sucks it down finishing the bottle sleep is all that's on her mind. Kei tells her "It's ok now young one we will talk in the morning." All she could do is think about where and what Kate Lanie and the boys were doing before falling off to a much-needed deep sleep.

A/N I know that this is really A/U and OOC for this show, but it is fiction...Right?


	4. Chapter 4

Kei Fujioka was a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army who served in the Second World War. It was an honor he committed himself to duty for his country. His was sworn to protect and defend an island that if the U.S Forces had managed to overtake with terrible losses and would most certainly be a turning point in this war. The fighting was fierce on the island he defended and there were a couple of times he almost lost his life to the advancing Americans. This was the last thing he thought of when he was captured by MacArthur's advancing army. He was taken as a P.O.W. a title he did not really relate with, or relish. He was a soldier in the Imperial Army and his mission was to evade his imprisonment and gather intelligence about where he was. Although the war was almost at its end and after 5 failed escape attempts he was released after 3 years of imprisonment. Upon returning home, he would not even acknowledge his wife's existence. His wife knew that he was in a very dark place, but she let him do what was needed to get himself right with her world. He was ok with this, but his mission was clear, and he was dedicated creating a martial arts school that will give his students an edge in any type of situation. Especially one that he lived through. He would never say what the American's had done to him, but their torture tactics were more advanced than what his army had been able to do to the American POW'S. Taking a page out of their playbooks, he adjusted the tactics to be a little easier on Alexis when the time had come. He was pleased with the way things had advanced with Alexis's "Torture Imprisonment" He looked in on her and she was still fast asleep. With this, he moved into the gym and opened up the door that led to the dreaded cage Alexi's was stuck on for eight days. It was so much like what the Americans had kept him for over 3 years, only getting the basic staples to support life. Rice and water. It was then he realized that he needed to escape from his captors. All in all, he tried to escape 5 times and if it were not for a really toothy German Shepard he might have gotten back to the jungle without being caught the sixth time. When the war ended he was stripped of his rank, and disgraced after not being capable of escaping the forces that held him as a P.O.W. He was shunned by his country as were many other P.O.W.'s that he was with and that did not manage to escape from the U.S. Marines. This was fine with him….he was still among the living and no type of regret of his actions. So even though it was not a popular idea he decided to open his martial arts school with the teachings of Grandmaster Jae C. Shin. He taught Kei everything he knew to get his school off the ground.

Kei had looked in on Alexis and noticed that she was having a terrible nightmare. He observed her movements for at least ½ hour. He was rethinking his training tactics. He wanted to give her all the tools she could possibly need for the task she contracted him for. Although he wondered what she needed his training for exactly, he decided to do a little background investigating on one Alexis Castle.

NY City was going through one of its worst heat waves in recent years. It was only June and it actually felt like mid-July. Temps were hovering at just about One hundred and five degrees. Kate had just returned back to her car and was sweating up a storm, hell it was only a short walk from the current crime scene to the car and she was soaked. The only comment Espo had made was "Crank up the A/C in this bad boy so we can be at least a little comfortable." She did and her mind went off into a daydream state. She was brought back to when she had promised Alexis that her Dad and Grams would be ok at the bank, and how wrong she was in telling her this. She had lost the only link to Castle she had because Alexis had vanished off the face of the earth. After, even with all her resources at the NYPD she only found out that Alexis had caught a flight to Tokyo Japan and left right after the funeral and the private eye she hired lost her movements after that.

When they arrived back at the precinct Espo had noticed that Kate was not answering anything he asked her about the current case that they were on. After parking the unmarked car in the 12th precincts underground garage, he had to call her name four times to snap her out of her thoughts. She had not even realized how they were where they were. Espo asked, "Kate is anything wrong"? She replied with "I was just thinking about Alexis and where she could have gone after she arrived in Tokyo." Espo had talked at length with Lanie about this and told Kate that she probably needed to get away from New York for a little. Little did Kate know…but both Javi and Lanie had inside knowledge of Alexis's location but only until about 2011. After that they both had not received any word from her.

Kei had done just what he said he would. He hired a very resourceful investigator not far from the 12th precinct. This investigator had found out a wealth of information about his five targets. Not only was Alexis Castle wealthy beyond her means, she was not one to flaunt her wealth. She had acquired it in the worst possible way. Her father had died a couple of years ago and she inherited ½ of his fortune but was restricted on receiving the full amount until she turned 25. Her best friends were Kate Beckett and Lanie Parish. Beckett was a Detective 1st grade at the 12th. Her case closure was one of the highest in the city. She was there when Alexis's dad had died and after reading the notes from the investigator he knew that there was something more to their relationship. Lanie Parish had mentored Alexis in an internship with the ME's office. She had learned a lot in a short amount of time. The other two detective's Ryan and Esposito were partners at the 12th and were working with Beckett. He sat down and thought about what to do next.

Alexis woke with a start, she was dreaming about that day long ago when her world came to an abrupt end. She dreamed that they did survive the blast in the bank and she was having lunch with her Dad at a trendy midtown eatery. Becoming more aware of her surroundings coming out of her sleep the items surrounding her this was not the truth. Her mind went over everything that she had experienced during her imprisonment trying to piece the last week together but only came up with the following facts she had not eaten anything in 7 days, hated the music that blared intensively, and really needed a hot shower. Beyond that, her mind drew almost a total blank.

Kei was at the small dining table when she walked in. She just stopped and studied him. He motioned to her to take a seat next to him. She sat down looking at him a little perplexed. "Alexis is there something you wish to share with me"? She was looking into his weary eyes and said "I have no idea what you are speaking of." He looked a little more disappointed and asked the same question again. This time she after all she had been through she gave him an answer that he might understand. Well Kei "My father and Grandmother were killed in a botched bank robbery about 4 years ago." I have been getting ready to get justice for their deaths. Kei had thought this was the path that she wanted to follow but was not exactly sure until just this moment. He bowed his head and said "Are you sure that this is the way to seek what they wanted"? Alexis looked a little bitter at his comment and she was one to never disrespect anyone, but she told him "Kei I will make those bastards pay for leaving me an orphan" "This was their fault and they started it I am only here to finish what they started."

Kei hung his head knowing that there was a conflict within her. He asked her if she might depart from her current path, she said that her father believed in what people said to him never doubting them he had always told the truth no matter what the outcome would have been. The world had lost a great man when his life was cut so short but no she would continue her training and use her skills to vindicate her father and Grandmother. With her last statement, Kei offered her these last words "Alexis just remember that there is always someone or something that might be a little more forceful even with all that you have learned and what I have taught you there is always someone who has trained harder and has a discipline that exceeds yours."

Kei told Alexis to return to her room and get ready for the next part of her journey. He had placed a call to one of his oldest and closest army buddies. Explaining to him what was going on he was a little apprehensive about training her but Kei insisted he give her the benefit of the doubt. Hanging up the phone, he sat there and wondered if this was the right thing to do he was lost in thought when his wife walked up behind him and softly asked "This is not what you had expected was it?" No, I am fearful that Alexis will be going up against a foe that she might not have an edge over both physically and intellectually. Her training will be put the test.

Alexis had until the end of the day to get her belongings packed up. Her training here was instrumental and she thought that she was prepared for whatever might be thrown in her direction. Still she wondered what other training she would be subject to. Walking out to the dining area, she met Kei and his wife. Seeing that she was ready to go Kei gave her the address for her final phase of training. Bowing she thanked Kei and his wife for all they have done for her. Turning to leave Kei told Alexis "Be aware of your enemies, they come in forms that can be unrecognizable".

Alexis turned towards the door and looking back at Kei she thought she noticed a tear running down his cheek. Arriving at the train station, she waited on the platform for the next train. She would never admit this, but she started to become tearful the second she closed is door. The ride would be about two hours and it would be great to see other people. The only drawback of Kei's training was that there was no contact with the outside world. She was moving to a refreshment vendor to buy a bottle of water for the train ride when she thought she noticed a man watching her he was dressed in black but when she turned to see if he was there, there was no one there at all. "totally ninja like" she thought to herself. Waiting for the train to arrive she thought back to her friends in the city. She had kept them in the back of her mind, but now she missed them immensely. Her training was quickly coming to a close and then she would put all she had learned into keeping the city that she had loved and missed safe again.

Kei's friend met her at the train station after an hour ride. He took her to his compound and set her up in a room where everything was provided for her. Her weapons training started the following morning and she needed to get a good nights sleep. Hitting the pillow she was instantly asleep and slept soundly.

A/N To the guest reviewer (you know who you are) If you are not pleased with what I write here, I am sure there are other stories by better authors that you might be interested in.

To Mick thanks for the great review and it is fixed thanks. I try to put some sentences together to write a story that some people will like.


	5. Chapter 5

Alexis had started her day with a 4 mile run and then made her way over to the pool for a couple of laps. After completing her small workout, she got redressed into army fatigues. Her instructor had been on a lot of missions both sanctioned by his government and some not. It was the ones that were not that she had wanted to know most about, the fact that a man could take another persons life from so far away amazed her. Her basic training started with handguns. Field stripping, cleaning, loading and becoming accurate with their use. Three weeks later she graduated to the long guns. Most every type of sniper rifle was at her disposal. Barrett XM 109, SSG 2000, Sig Sauer SSG 3000, and a Walther WA 2000. Her instructor had made it perfectly clear that he could teach her how to fire any sniper rifle, but her skill would come from months or years of practice to be good at what she needed to do. This is not a point and click type of activity.

Kate, Ryan and Espo had pooled their cash together to find a decent investigator in Japan. Alexis was one of them and they wanted to know what was going on. After finding a decent one, he told them he would not stop until he found out something. While Alexis was waiting for the train he had found her in transit, before she could notice he was there he had disappeared. He had sent the clients in New York his findings. He had been watching her for about a month and now that she had moved to another part of the country he thought it might be time to report in. Kate had looked to Espo and Ryan and motioned to the break room and they got the message. With them all there Kate pulls out the pictures and his written report that the investigator had sent them. Laying them out on the break room table they look at them with utter panic and what they see is a very disciplined Alexis Castle.

The pictures were taken on a passenger train platform she looked like a little worse for the wear but she was alive and really that's all that mattered to them. Now Kate was left alone with the pictures and she wondered what Alexis was up to. She never thought that Alexis would do something like this with her life, but they did not have the total story about why she was there in Japan. The investigator had also made it clear that this was just a preliminary report and that he was going to move up north to where she was and see what he could find out there. After reading the report and placing all the photos back into the manila envelope, she walked back to her desk and secured the file. Looking at her current case today was going to be a tough day.

Alexis had become very proficient at using a sniper rifle. Her weapons instructor had placed her within the top 25 snipers in the world, she was that good. Seven months later her training was now complete. She would book the next flight back to JFK later this afternoon and start packing for her return trip. Japan had been a very good learning experience and now with all that she has mastered, she will return home and put what she learned to good use. This is the next page in my life she thought to herself. Getting her boarding pass ready she moved over to the jet way that led her to the 747-400 that would take her back to NYC. Handing the pass the attendant she walked down the ramp and settled into first class. Placing her carry on in the overhead bin, she sat down in the comfortable seat. She was finally going home, her mind drifted to Kate, Espo and Ryan. All good thoughts but she would need to keep up a front with them when she got home. She would not jeopardize her plan after all she had been through. This was going to be a long flight and 14 hours will give me a lot of time to think about how I need to start the next chapter in my life. Alexis was one who could misdirect whatever she was thinking about and she would need to do this back home on a larger scale.

The flight was right on time coming into JFK. Gathering her carry on she made her way off the plane. The car service had been there waiting for her when she walked out of customs. It was Joe her fathers old driver. "welcome back Miss Castle" Joe was happy to see her. Alexis responded back "Hi Joe it's good to see you, how are you doing?" very good was his answer. So where to Alexis? She needed to get back to the loft and told him so. 25 minutes later they were pulling up in front of the loft. She had made sure everything was up kept while she was gone and the staff she had hired did a great job taking care of the property. Entering the loft it had been 5 years ago since she had done this last. Memories came flooding back and her eyes started to water. Walking into the loft, she looked over the apartment and everything was just as it was when she left. Heading over kitchen to satisfy her grumbling stomach she prepared a tossed salad and threw in some sliced chicken cutlet. Sitting at the table, she ate her meal.

She would get her body adjusted to the new time zone and then later she would visit her Dad and Grams and see how they were. But now it was time for rest because she did not sleep a wink on the plane. Drawing the shades being it was 11 am she fell into her dads bed and within seconds she was sleeping soundly.

A/N Sorry this is such a short chapter, but not too sure about continuing with this story after all the negative reviews, if I do I probably won't update for a while.


	6. Chapter 6

Waking from just about 15 hours of sleep Alexis felt like she could take on the world. True to her word she got up showered and went down to the garage and took inventory of what she could get around in the city in. There was the Ferrari, the Benz, and an older Harley Fat Boy. Al,l looking meticulously maintained and clean. Feeling adventurous the bike it was. Hitting the start button the engine roared to life. Strapping her helmet to her head she quickly moves through NYC traffic. Her first stop was where Grams and Dad were. Arriving at Trinity Church Cemetery she parked the bike and walked over to where they were buried. The headstones were perfect, she had never seen them before because they were not installed until after she had arrived in Japan. Grams stone described her to a T: Martha Rodgers Born July 22nd, 1937- Died October 18th, 2010 Beloved Mother, Grandmother and damn great Broadway actress. Dads was a little more reserved: Richard Edgar Castle Born April 1st 1969-Died October 17th, 2010 Beloved son & father. Best selling author.

She really needed to see them and she did just that. She had about an hour long conversation with them both telling them what was going on in her life from then to where she is right now. She will never get over loosing them. Laying down a single red rose for each of them at their headstones she notices that someone has been here recently. Behind his stone, there is a teddy bear with a police uniform propped against the back of the stone. Looking around she notices nothing out of the ordinary. Grabbing her helmet off the ground she makes her way to the exit of the cemetery. Firing the Harley to life she wants to go visit an old friend. Paige has been emailing her for about a month begging her to stop by and visit so she decided to go and see her. Because there in no parking anywhere near her apartment she has to park the bike about 2 blocks away from her place. Walking the 2 blocks she looks out onto 5th ave and notices Kate Beckett driving slowly by in an unmarked police car. Moving quickly she ducks into the crowd hoping Kate did not notice her, but she was not too sure if she was spotted.

Ringing Paige's doorbell, she opens the door and jumps into Alexis's waiting arms. She has missed her friend. "So how was Japan" "Oh Paige you can not believe how beautiful that country actually is" Taking her black leather coat and hanging it up she settles into the love seat and waits for Paige to return. "Alexis can I get you anything?" She asks if she can get a glass on water and Paige brings out a glass and a pitcher of water. So spill how was your extended trip and did you meet anyone? Alexis tells Paige this was all business and there was no time for a social life. "Really Alexis 4 years without a man have you sworn to celibacy?" Paige I was on a mission to become better for my Dad and Grams, after what happened to them and I think I have come through with where I need to be now. Paige understands somewhat and asks Alexis if she would like to meet for dinner one night in the village. Alexis agrees and they set up to meet sometime next week. They talk for about 3 hours catching up and talking about everything from men to the classes Paige is currently taking at NYU. Alexis finds out that Paige wants to become an intelligence operative for large corporation thinking she could be an asset she thinks that she could use her with her ongoing project. A bit reserved she waits to find out more information on her progress at school. Dinner next week will be the perfect opportunity and she will use it to get the information she needs.

Saying goodbye she heads back to her bike and makes plans to see the next person on her list. Wheeling through midtown traffic heading south she pulls up in front of the 12th precinct and dismounts her bike. Walking down to the parking garage she is stealth like with her movements and finds what she is looking for, Detective Beckett's unmarked squad. Retrieving a slim jim she makes quick work of the locked car door. Placing an envelope above the visor she quickly re-secures the car and leaves the same way she entered. Mounting her bike she leaves the 12th. She figures that the phone call will come within an hour or two since it was almost quitting time.

Kate was trying to solve a case that she thought was to be an open and shut, but every time they had a solid lead the evidence just fell apart along with the lead. They only could hold the suspect for 12 more hours and he would be kicked free if they could not find anything solid to place him at the scene. Ryan thought he could place him at the crime scene with a ping from his cell phone, but the ADA dismissed that theory because the ping as he called it was too wide of an area so putting the suspect exactly at the scene of the crime could be impossible. The ADA did not want to get this case thrown out for lack of evidence. Kate was frustrated so she called Ryan and Esposito over to her desk. "Guys we need something to put this suspect at the crime scene" They both look walk back to the murder board and start going over all the notes so far. Kate looks at them and says "Why are you both looking for something that we all know is not there?"

Ryan looks closer at the 2nd crime scene picture and asks Beckett 'What kind of car does the suspect drive"?

She looks at him and says "I think he drives a BMW why."

"Well, what color was it?"

"Red I think"  
"I think I might have something here but there is not not much to go on because we can't get a plate number off the car in this picture." "This red car looks a lot like a BMW 5 series."  
Espo thinks a second "What if we can follow that car from the crime scene with traffic or ATM cams"? They are scouring the footage for the car and after about 3 hours they think they have the suspects car driving away from the crime scene. Looking at footage from a different camera, the tech was able to pull up a good, clear picture of the suspect driving his BMW away from the murder scene. They presented the ADA with the new evidence they had just found. She was very pleased now with the video evidence, they also had fibers and a palm print to tie him to the scene. The ADA would file charges against him and move him from holding over to the tombs in the morning.

Gathering at the elevator, all three detectives talk about the case they just closed. Happy it was over they stepped onto the elevator and they all ride down to the lobby. Kate asks Ryan and Espo if they need a ride home and Ryan tells her Jenny is waiting outside, Espo says he will take a cab home. Walking down the sidewalk she turns into the garage. Getting out her car keys, she places the key in the lock and opens the door. Getting in and closing the door she instinctively looked up and saw the envelope quickly exiting the car she placed her hand on the butt of her gun and she scans the garage but did not see anything that was that suspicious. Getting back into the car, she pulls down the visor and the envelope lands in her lap. Picking it up, she opens it and removes the paper inside of it.

It read: Detective Beckett I know your every move. We need to talk. Meet me at the south west corner of 23rd street and 2nd avenue at exactly 9pm. Park your car and do not leave it. Come alone with NO backup. I will know.

Kate got a shudder down her spine and this worried her. Who was this and why do they need to meet with her? She was not about to meet this person but then the cop in her had gotten the better of her. Starting her car she had about 45 minutes to be at the meet location. With the traffic she would have about 20 minutes to grab something to eat, so with such time constraints she decided to forgo dinner. Wheeling the Crown Vic around 22nd street and 2nd avenue she was doing a little recon before actually going to the meet location. She still had 10 minutes before the meet but driving around she really did not notice anything alarming. Pulling up to the location, she parked the car and waited.

Alexis was perched in an apartment building with a good view of 23rd and 2nd ave. She was watching the meet location and had seen Kate make her first and second recon runs. Kate was methodical if anything. She would be meeting with her later but needed to pick up a couple of things first. Heading to the sporting goods store not too far from the meet location she purchased a balaclava and a pair of good leather gloves. She did not want to be identified by the detective by any means. Having made her purchases She proceeded to 23rd and 2 ave. Setting her sights on Kate's light blue Crown Vic she pulled the balaclava over her fire red short hair. Slipping the gloves onto her hands, she lifted the door handle and entered the car. Kate was about to turn to see who entered but then A digitally synthesized voice said, "Eyes front do not look back" Kate obeyed. The voice then said, "Detective Beckett I am here to start a new relationship with you one that you WILL be participating in and together with your help we will rid this city of crime and deceit running rampant and that has now taken a stranglehold of this city."

Kate said, "Who are you."

The reply came "It is not important who I am all you need to know is that I will be in contact when I need you." "You will be at my disposal with no questions asked."

Kate said, "Do you really think that I am going to agree to something like this"?

Well Detective "Honestly I don't really care what you are agreeable to but, I know that you are no position to deny me what I am asking of you so you don't have a choice either way." "There are skeletons in your closet that I could expose that would end your career with the NYPD."

Alexis knew that that was a lie, but she was playing a trump card, she knew Kate was as by the book as they came and squeaky clean. "So detective until we meet again take care of yourself and try to eat something will you, I will call you when we need to talk again." Before Kate realized it the back seat of her car was again empty. Looking in the rear view mirror, she noticed a dark figure walking quickly down 2nd avenue. Wild thoughts ran through her head and she wondered who this was and what did they have to hold over her head. Starting the car she worked her way across town to her apartment. Walking up to her place, she entered cautiously not knowing if it was clear to enter. Seeing that it was safe she collecting today's mail and walking over to the refrigerator she viewed what was there to eat. Thinking that Hop-Sings was open 24/7 she placed an order to be delivered. 30 minutes later the order arrived and she ate heartily. Removing the micro digital recorder from her shirt pocket she replayed the conversation between the visitor and herself.

Whoever this person was they were very very careful. All her recording device picked up was Kate's voice and when the visitor spoke it was all hissing and static noises. "covering your tracks, huh who in the hell are you" She thought to herself...

A/N I would like to thank the readers who have encouraged me to move on with this fic. You know who you are and I hope you are satisfied with what I am presenting to you now.


	7. Chapter 7

Alexis had returned back to the loft. She had an idea that Kate would try to find out who she was by trying to record her voice, but Alexis had anticipated her move even before she entered her cruiser. She had the best spy gear that money could buy. The voice altering microphone she had placed on her throat had done the trick. Now it was on to other tasks. She needed to set up a dinner date with her friend Paige. Getting information from her would be tricky but it was a job she knew that needed to be done to move forward with her plan. But it would have to be done very carefully.

Paige had just sat down to her microwaved meal. Sticking her fork into the cardboard Salisbury steak, she thought back to Alexis's visit the other day. She needs something, but she was not too sure what it was. She was her friend and would do anything for her, but not seeing her for almost 5 years she had her suspicions. Finishing her excuse for a meal she cleaned up her place setting and made her way over to the living room, turned on the TV to get in her favorite show..."Bones"

While in the loft, Alexis thinks back to the bank bombing and what Kate's last words to her were before her father had died. "I promise you that they will be okay!" these words haunted her ever since that day. And it was the reason she had become what she was now.

Paige's phone rang and she answered it only to hear Alexis's voice on the other end. "Hey Paige how are you?" She answered with "Alexis I am great how are you?"

Alexis tells her "I am doing well, You know I was thinking about us and catching up on Monday of this upcoming week, what are your plans?"

Paige knows there is something Alexis is not saying out loud on purpose. So she tells Alexis that Monday would be a great day to meet. She asks where and what time, Alexis responds with "How about 6 p.m. at Le Cirque on 151 east 58th street?" She agrees but needs to let her know that she is not made of money and before she can make that statement Alexis says, "It will be my treat OK?" agreeing, the date is set.

The CSU division of the 12th precinct has been working tirelessly on trying to recover any clue that would reveal the identity of the person on the tape that Detective Beckett had sent over to them. They were all hesitant about placing the call to her and let her know that they had come up with nothing. The only thing they actually had was that the recording she had whoever was speaking on the tape was well-prepared for being recorded. Whoever this was had a type of miniature scrambling device. They decided that the senior CSU team member would tell the lowest person on the totem pole to tell her the news. So it was CSU Roberts that drew the short straw. Picking up the phone, he called her cell phone. "Beckett" came the answer

"Hello, Detective Beckett this is CSU Roberts."

"What can I do for you Roberts?"

"I have some news about that tape you sent to us."

"Oh," Kate said

"Well Detective we ran every type of voice recognition and background noise search on this tape and the only thing we were able to come up with is the fact that the person knew that you would be recording them and had a device that altered the perps voice patterns to make it appear that all you would hear is static."

Kate thought to herself "What the F-K" She demands the tape be reevaluated and the results be sent directly to her. She is not going to be made a fool of by this person dressed in black.

Roberts unwillingly agrees and hangs up the phone. He thinks he dodged a bullet or so he thinks. Little does he know that he has now become the go to guy for calling the detectives in the 12th for reports that they need information for.

Alexis was one to give anyone anything they wanted but first she would take the time to make sure that they deserved it in the first place. Dressed all in black and holding a balaclava she is standing on the roof of an apartment building near Hell's Kitchen, she watched patiently as Carol the wife and Sam the husband were interacting after his hard day at work. He must have had a bad day because he walked right past his two loving children and after paying them no attention opened the refrigerator door and took out a beer and a bottle of whiskey and proceeded to set up a boilermaker for himself. Carol knew what was coming next drinking and then the beating would start because something that he brought home form work would set him off here in the house, the kids or maybe it was the way he did not like the way the house looked when he got home.

Carol had hoped that this night that the kids would not be the victims of his wrath tonight. But she would always be a protective mother and place herself between his displeasure and the children.

Alexis had watched the scene unfolded right in front of her eyes and regretted what she was going to do next. Firing a light weight carbon fiber cable from her perch on the rooftop across the way to the other apartment building the spear had hit its mark. Wedged between the window jamb and the brick to the cable she tugged on it to make sure the strength was there. Securing the end to the ventilation pipe, she attached a pulley she coasted across the street below. Landing into the open window she rolled and stood upright. Undetected is what she was hoping for and she had achieved it. Sam had already had way too much to drink. Her goal was a serious one. It was to keep the children from harm. God knows that Sam had come home in a bad mood almost every night. Alexis had hidden herself adjacent to the bedroom wall leading into the living room.

Sam had already taken 5 or 6 good swings at Carol and at least 3 connected. Looking from her hidden spot near the alcove, she noticed the threat. Carol had at least a black eye forming and then decided that this was the final straw. Moving out from behind the alcove, she threw two jabs to his throat and one kick to his groin. Relentlessly she struck him and before she knew it he was laying on the floor clutching his throat. Rolling through the window, she grabbed the window sill and then fell gracefully to the cables that supplied power to the building. Dropping to street level about 5 floors below she started walking east towards eighth avenue. Disappearing into the night, she made her way back to the loft and tried to steady herself.

Dropping her keys into the dish by the entry door of the loft she peeled off her tight leather coat. A little relaxed she thought about the events that had unfolded at her last encounter. Hoping that Sam had received the message she had sent him and thought about his actions towards his loving family. If need be she would do it all over until he understood. She slipped into the gentle spray of the shower to erase what she had just done from her body.

They were assigned to investigate an assault that had happened around 11pm last night in Hell's Kitchen. Questioning the assignment since there was no dead body involved the three detectives thought their time was better spent solving a more serious crime than a domestic squabble. Captain Gates was a new to the precinct and she was a no nonsense type of cop from IAB. This was her first position commanding detectives in a homicide squad. She would not take any assignment lightly. Due to the fact that Special Victims Unit was stretched pretty thin she volunteered her detectives. They were dispatched to investigate what happened last night and there was to be no argument about it.

Arriving at the residence of Carol and Sam Peterson she gently knocked on the entry door. Waiting to answer the door Carol had opened it up but it only went to the extent of the chain that stopped the door from opening completely. Kate noticed her black eye right away, "Hello Mrs. Peterson my name is detective Beckett and were here about a domestic issue that happened around 11 last night"

"Come in detective" The door closes and once the chain is slid off the door reopens again giving them access to the apartment.

"I am not too sure that I know what your are talking about."

"Are you sure about that Mrs. Peterson?" "It doesn't take a genius to see what has happened to your right eye."

"My husband has a little temper."

"A little temper?" "I'd hate to see him when he is enraged." "Are your children here Mrs. Peterson, I'd like to speak to them."

"Yes they are in the living room" "Kids" she yelled.

"Yes mom"

"Come in here, please."

"Okay"

The children report to the kitchen and Carol tells them to answer Kate's questions.

Kate starts out with "Hi kids I am Detective Beckett how are you doing today?"

They both say that the are doing fine.

"I need to ask you two about last night okay?" They nod yes.

"Who can tell me what happened here last night?"

Both children look to each other and then to their mother not knowing what to tell her.

"Kate restates her question but adds "And I want the truth."

Ryan and Espo have just finished their sweep and without speaking to Beckett they let her know that something is up just by facial expressions. Moving back into the kitchen they let her question the children.

"So kids what happened here last night?"

The boy speaks first "It was so cool you should have seen it" She flew into our living room window and somersaulted onto the floor and hid behind that wall" He pointed to the wall near the dining room.

Kate looked lost "people can't fly."

The girl stated "people might not fly, but this girl could."

"Okay, what happened next."

"She hid by the wall until daddy walked into the dining room. He had just punched mommy about 6 or 7 times and she was on the floor crying holding her head. She moved almost like she wasn't even there the next thing we saw was daddy lying on the floor holding his throat and his man parts."

Kate laughed a little at the man parts comment. "Okay, you two what was this girl wearing?"

They both said she was dressed in black. Everything she wore was black we never saw her face because she had it covered too. Then the boy further describes her coat "she wore a coat like they wore in the movie The Matrix. Really long."

Kate was worried about this and called to Espo to check the exterior of the building. He did and 10 minuets later he showed her what he found. It was a spear made of high strength aluminum. Attached to the spear was about 5 feet of carbon fiber line.

"Yo Beckett this stuff is way to advanced. I have never seen anything like this. This line here it can probably lift up a car its that strong, who has stuff like this?"

"I don't know but I know now that I want to find out."

Thanking Mrs. Peterson for her time they all depart and head back to the 12th.

Kate had a shiver run down her spine, she thinks that she might know who this is but she can't really make it known yet. Getting back to the homicide floor Gates sticks her head out and asks about the Peterson investigation.

Kate replies with "Sir it was just a simple case of domestic battery and the wife refuses to press charges."

"Okay Detective while you were gone we had 2 more body drops so Esposito and Ryan will take the case that's uptown and Detective Beckett you take the one in midtown. They get the addresses for their next cases and head out. But there is something that is gnawing at Kate about the Peterson case...


	8. Chapter 8

Working the new cases they were assigned by Captain Gates, there were similarities between both of them. Both victims were men and were both murdered by a person who liked close up work.. They were murdered by someone taking them out in a way that a trained investigator might have thought it could have been an amateur, but this was definitely not the case. Whoever took out these men were precise and efficient. The only odd thing that they came across is the fact that they had lived about 25 minutes apart from each other. Both were married, both had six figure incomes but neither had any children. The time of death was almost the same time. According to Lanie, they both had died around 2:10 pm. Their wounds were that of a smooth type of blade. They were both taken out by a quick laceration to the throat. This is not what concerned the M.E.. It was the fact that they were both killed in the same manner and most likely by the same person.

Kate and Espo and Ryan had returned back to the 12th and almost like a premonition that they had noticed that they were looking for the same killer. It was evident with the clues they had on the murder board already, but they thought that there was no way in hell that the same person could have done this. The distance between the two murder scenes was an impossibility for the same person to pull this off. But they had been surprised before.

It was a copycat killer about 3 years ago that had recruited a helper and at exactly the same time they had killed their prey, the method of the act was not the same as what they had now but the time of death was exactly lined up with each murder. The victims were bound and gagged in the center of the room. The victim was the only thing in the room bound to a basic chair. But something was nagging at Kate. This was something that she needed to get a handle on because she had a hunch and she did not like where she was going with what she was thinking. So she got with the boys and brainstormed about what they had and what she had compiled from her scene.

It was a bit weird, but their observations between both cases had been so in sync that they could have been working the same case. Ryan had asked Beckett if there could be anything that connected either of their cases and then it hit hit her, both men were currently being investigated for taking bribes from city councilmen for getting laws passed to protect the less desirable element in their districts.

Alexis Castle was not one to be taken lightly of. She had made quick work of Mr, Peterson he was a real douche he was a man for better lack of a word who always need to feel superior. So whenever he had a bad day or things did not go his way at work, in the end either his wife or his children had paid the full price of his anger.

He relented only once when his son was so badly beaten that he was in the hospital for 6 days recovering from a concussion, 2 broken ribs and 3 deep lacerations to his face and midsection. He was released to a halfway house approved by the state until his home was thoroughly investigated for any type abuse or mistreatment. The findings were that his parents were upstanding people and they could not see any abuse at their hand.

This is what Alexis had set out to do, find the injustice and correct it.

Kate's cell was ringing and taking it out from its holder to see who was calling all she saw across the small screen was the words blocked caller. Hitting the accept button she said hello.

The voice on the other end was masked as to not be recognized.

"Hello?"

"Detective Beckett I told you that we would be in touch."

"Who is this" Beckett demanded.

"Right now it is no concern of yours who I am" "what I need you to do is be at the PABT (Port Authority Bus Terminal) third level bus departures platform 33 at 8 pm." Bring no one and let no one know where you are going or what you are doing.

The phone went dead. Not knowing who or what this person was or what they wanted she decided to go back to the CSU to see if they had a better handle of who this was by the tape she had sent them. Arriving at the cyber division, she looked for the lead sergeant and walked up to him. "I am Detective Kate Beckett and I am wondering if the tape I had your tech review had any leads yet." The sergeant had dropped his head and lifted his hand and pointed to CSU Roberts "The man you need to talk to is at that desk."Kate spins around to see a young man who can be no older than 25 working on something at his desk. She walks over to his work area and announces herself. "CSU Roberts?"

"Yes what can I do for you?"

"My name is Detective Kate Beckett and I was wondering if you had any leads from the micro tape I had sent to you."

"Well, Detective I might, whoever this was they had a way to cover their tracks." "There were no clues to determine whether this was a male or female." "On top of that the voice changer that they had used was that of a professional."

"There was no voice per se there was a signal that turned their voice into static when the tape was replayed, but when you heard them talk the voice was normal to you." "With a couple of days I might be able to narrow down the voice pattern, but that is afraid all I will be able to provide you with."

She looks at him and thanks him and tells him "Keep up the great work."

"He watches her turn and leave thinking that was not so bad he can't imagine what the sergeant was thinking when he assigned him to this case.

Returning back to the 12th she had about 3 hours before her meet at the PABT. Espo had already left for home, but Kevin always the dedicated cop was still there working.

"Kevin it's almost 5pm why are you still here?" He looked at Kate a little startled and said "Well you know the paperwork never files itself."

She laughed a little to herself and told him "Kevin, now go and be with Jenny and Sarah Grace." "whatever you are working on will definitely be here in the morning okay?"

He looks at the files in his hand and places them on his desk and asks "Are you sure Kate?"

She tells him that its fine that he should go home.

He gathers his coat and scarf and throws her a quick smile and heads to the stairwell.

Sitting down at her desk, she moves her mouse and wakes her computer and she types in her user name and password. Starting with a simple Google search she types in Alexis Castle. All that appears is a basic fluff telling her something she already knows.

: Alexis Castle inherits her novelist fathers fortune estimated to be somewhere around 350 million dollars.

: Alexis Castle files lawsuit suing Black Pawn for rights to Nikki Heat book series.

: Alexis Castle wins lawsuit against Black Pawn and is awarded rights to Nikki Heat series and a monetary value is awarded but the amount is concealed within the court records.

: Alexis Castle is seen departing the country from JFK to Tokyo Japan.

Kate really can't believe that she had seen Alexis in Chelsea about a month ago and wondered to herself if it was really her and if it was why had she not contacted her. Looking down at her watch, she noticed that it was almost 6:45 pm. Getting ready to leave she made one more attempt to get in touch with CSU about the tape she had them investigating. The phone rang off the hook, it was after all 5 pm and most of the staff had probably left for the night. Ending the call she got her mind set ready for her meet. She would be wired for sound just like the last time, but she would hope the person who was meeting her would let their guard down so she could have some sort of idea of who they were.

Kate drove the Crown Vic up onto the bus only lane of the terminal. Winding around the bus lanes she had made her first recon sweep. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she drove over to bus lane 33 and parked her car.

Alexis had thought that most people could be so predictable even with the training they had received from the academy. Kate Beckett was one of these people. No matter how many times her father had taught Kate to think outside of the box she always almost went with police protocol. Watching her make her recon sweep again. Alexis had stowed her binoculars and she made her way down from the 42nd street apartment directly across from the PABT. She had an eye on her from the time she moved up the bus ramp. Now walking across 41st street stepping on the sidewalk that led to the escalators and then to the bus terminal she moved to platform 33. Walking over to Kate's car from behind the right rear quarter panel, she opened the right rear door of the cruiser.

Kate was suddenly aware that her unknown visitor had entered her car. "Detective Beckett I am wondering if you had put the pieces together yet.?"

Kate replied "What no small talk?"

"No Detective why would you think I'd give you the opportunity to try to identify me with that tape recorder you have recording me right now?"

Kate knew that this was someone who knew about police procedure.

"So Detective Beckett have you figured it out yet?"

Kate is at a loss for what the visitor is trying to tell her.

"Well, Kate let me help you out a little Mr Peterson will no longer be beating on his wife and children again, I made sure of that,"

"And as for the murders of the 2 crooked councilmen I am sure that you have already found out that their TOD was almost exactly the same."

Kate is starting to turn to see her visitor, when she hears "Don't even think about it" "You turn and you will no longer be around to solve your next case."

Kate freezes and asks, "Why are you doing this, we are the police and we can take care of the crime within the city."

"Please Detective I have seen how you handle crime within your city." "I am going to need some intel on Mr. Alvarez."

Kate laughs out loud, "Do you really think that I am going to give you any information on the Manhattan Borough President?"

"Well, the way I see it you are in no position to deny me what I am asking of you."

"Oh yeah, what makes you think that?"

"Well for starters I have a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson pointed at the back of your head so I don't think that you are in any position to make any demands."

"And I have seen first hand how well you protect the people of this city, so spare me your speeches."

'So Detective Beckett I will be in touch within 24 hours, and in that time frame you will have the information I have requested."

Kate sighs and nods her head and before she knows it the car is empty again. This time she sees nothing about the person was who sitting in the back of her cruiser. Getting out from behind the wheel, she is looking in every direction and sees only people getting on buses and waiting for them too. She thinks to herself one time you will slip up and then I will have your ass. No one threatens an NYPD detective with a loaded gun.

Alexis never really had a gun pointed at Kate's head, but sometimes the show of force would make someone think twice about their situation, even is she was a cop. Heading back to the loft, she needs to make a couple of phone calls.


	9. Chapter 9

Alexis walked up the stairs to the loft. Still dressed in all black she slipped her key into the doors lock and entered. First order of business was for her to rotate her burner cell phone to the next one in line. No way was she going to jeopardize her identity to such a simple mistake as having any one of her burners traced. Walking over to the bank of numbered stationary phone chargers she placed the current cell phone in the empty charger number 4. Then entering her fathers office and sitting at her fathers desk she moved the mouse to wake her dormant computer. Searching the various websites to locate the information she needed she stumbled onto an official website for Manhattans Borough President Alvarez. It was the same bullshit that she had read on so many other politicians web sites. Promising to make New York a better place to live in and do business in it really made her sick to her stomach.

Alexis had found out that Mr. Alvarez was on the take and she was going to secretly leak his wrong doings to the press and city hall but she would need to have some type of insurance policy to back up her information. It seems that his vote to clear the way for a 65 story high rise and attached mall at the skyscrapers base was being bought by the company who needed the contract to raise this building and the construction owner would not stop at nothing to get what he wanted. To date the owner of the contracting firm had already "Invested" somewhere around 4 million dollars to Mr. Alvarez's "re-election fund" What Alexis did not know was that Mr. Alvarez was so corrupt that he had decided to do two things to gain himself more cash and protect what he already had. He decided to present his position to a second construction company to see if they were also interested in donating to his "re-election fund." Then he had hired a clean up crew to take care of anyone or anything that came between him and his cash. He thought to himself "It's good to be a politician on the take in NYC.

Putting the word out on the street, she had learned that Mr. Alvarez's clean up crew was made up entirely of former special forces personnel. This was going to be a challenge. A challenge that she was up for. Placing an untraceable call to detective Beckett's cell phone it rang no more than 3 rings. Alexis knew why the delay in her answering her phone was, Kate thought that she was going to be able to trace her incoming call. What Kate did not know is that the cell phones that Alexis was using were a tracking nightmare. All of her phones had been routed first to the Ukraine and then to the republic of China, then onto a part of the former USSR. And if they were still trying to find her after that she had a program that reset all their tracking software to lead them to Disneyland in California.

Kate looked at the caller ID on her phone and all that came up was blocked caller. Immediately she looked over to the cyber techs across the bullpen and motioned to them that this was the call to trace. Waiting until they were ready she held off answering the call. By the third ring, they were ready and she hit accept and answered "Beckett."

"Hello, Detective Beckett." "Do you have the information that I requested?"

"You know that it will be a cold day in hell before I give you any information on anyone in this city especially a Borough President." "Who are you anyway?" Kate was trying to keep the caller on for as long as she could.

"Well, Detective Beckett I am sorry to hear this from you but you should really think about getting your coat because it's about to get really sub-zero for you."

"Did you think I was kidding about hanging you out to dry?" "I have the dirt on you that would end your career." "If you do not get what I need your career will be over." "Believe me when I tell you that I would have no problem releasing this information I have to end your career as a detective." "I will be calling back later this to get the information that I need, oh and detective, by the way, how is Disneyland?" Then the line went dead.

Kate looks over to the cyber techs and they tell her that the call was almost untraceable, but after tracing it to the Ukraine and then to China and then to Tadzhikistan but they had it narrowed down to Anaheim, California.

Then Beckett understood the reference about Disneyland. The trace ended up being an electronic goose chase. The lead tech had told her that all they had recorded was this low pitched hum when the caller had spoke. Telling the cyber team to go home, she walked over to her desk and wondered who this was and what did they have on her. She had never did anything to be put in a situation that would put her career in any kind of danger.

Alexis had to wonder if Kate would ever put all the clues together. She thought maybe after a couple of more jobs if she had not figured it out then she would start to be more revealing to her alter ego. Alexis needed to call Paige and ask for a favor. It was around 4 pm when Paige had answered her phone.

"Hello," she said.

"Hey, Paige its me Alexis, I was wondering if you might be able to meet for dinner with me tomorrow evening?"

"Alexis I think it would be great to meet for dinner." "Where would you like to meet?"

"Can you meet me at Wichcraft?" "It's at 1 Rockefeller Plaza between 5th and 6th avenues it will be my treat okay?" "Paige agrees and asks her if 6:30 that night will be alright?"

Alexis thought it was a great time to get together and told Paige that the time was fine. Paige had told Alexis that there was a case she was working on that needed a little more research to be done, but she would be there with no problems. Saying their good-byes they both disconnect the call.

Alexis still had time to get some work done before calling Kate back. Her research was going to bring her into very dangerous territory. She needed to figure out the strengths of Mr. Alvarez's clean up crew. She knew that they were all prior military. Probably associated with a hush-hush assassination squad, that our government had conveniently forgotten about. So what she would find out would most likely be a cover story for their identity, so she dug very carefully. After about two and a half hours of digging, she felt that she had a basic idea of who his crew was. Her next call was to her contact on the street. She needed her contact to run down the names of the crew that she needed information on, recording the names he told her that he would be back in touch with her by later on tomorrow. Alexis would be making the usual payment to the address that he had given her, but she would add a little something extra for getting this information to her so quickly.

With one more call to make she pulled out her burner cell. Dialing Beckett's cell number she waited for her to pick up. It was almost 10pm and she knew that Kate would be at her apartment and there would be no chance that she would be tracing her call.

After the 2nd ring, she answered "Hello."

Alexis thought this was odd because she always answers her phone with Beckett.

"Detective Beckett we need to meet again."

"I am not going to be used like this anymore."

"Why detective what makes you think that I am using you?"

"I am done dealing with you so there will not be another meeting."

"Oh, Kate you seem to think that I am not going to keep your secret for much longer do you?"

"You know what I am a by the book cop and you have nothing on me that can be used to end my career."

"Would you want to wager money on what I have or don't have?"

Kate becomes quiet for a second and thinks of her response.

"Go with what you think that you might have and see where it gets you!"

"Okay, Kate so are you sure that you want me to leak out how badly you mishandled what happened to 7 civilians at the New Amsterdam Bank and Trust 5 years ago." "I am sure that The Daily News or The New York Post will be very interested in what I have to say." "I have all the police recordings from that day." "So are you sure you still want to do it this way?"

The line is silent for about 2 minutes and then Kate asks

"What do you need?"

"Alright Detective I need the full financial records for Mr. Alvarez's re-election campaign and his personal finances as well." "Get everything you can on him." "I want to know what he has down the last penny."

"Why are you needing this information?"

"Detective Beckett it is not any of your concern as to why I need this information."

"The only fact that you really need to know is that there is a bad element that takes away from the good that needs to be done here in this city."

"When do you need this information by?"

"Tomorrow will be fine I will contact you in the morning to set up a place to meet."

"I guess that will be fine, what do I call you?"

"Detective there is no need for us to become friends. "Our relationship is one that is professional in nature, and I have no friends nor do I need any."

There is a silence between them before Kate speaks next. "I am not asking to be your friend I just want to know what to call you when we meet."

"Until tomorrow detective"

With that Alexis ends the call. Tomorrow will be a very interesting day to say the least.

Kate was staring at her cell phone she held in her hand with a panicked look on her face. It had been over five years since she had heard those words said out loud. Was this just a way of this person saying good night or was what they said had a meaning behind it. Kate did not know what to think about her mystery caller. She did know one thing though, she would be getting some answers.

Going through her nightly routine before bed that phrase kept gnawing at her "Until tomorrow." She last heard this phrase on the night before Castle had died. He had called her to make sure that she had arrived at home safely. Then she said good night to him and then he responded "until tomorrow detective."

Slipping into her warm and comfortable bed it was a while before she fell into a deep deep sleep. She slips into the dream that has haunted her since that day she lost him. The dream always starts the same way. She is never there in time to save him and Martha and just like all the other times it always ends the same way with him dead and her brokenhearted and alone.

Alexis was wondering if this clue would lead Kate in the right direction. It was not that she wanted to be caught she really just wanted to have the relationship she had with her before all this happened. Of course, there would be no way that she would ever stop doing what she needed to do to make this city a safe place to live. Changing into her sleepwear, she sleeps soundly.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Alexis was startled awake by three loud knocks the lofts door. Getting out of bed she walked over to the front door and then seeing the plain brown envelope that was slid under the door she does not bother to open it, she knew that her street contact had been and gone. Her street contact was very good at getting her any type of information she needed. She picked up the brown 8x11 envelope and opened it up as she walked back to her office. Entering she pulled out the surveillance pictures of Mr. Alvarez's crew and a typed up report.

They were all prior military and possibly all from the same unit. Hanging their pictures on her white board she studied her adversary's with respect. Her street contact had found out just about everything they had done since they were old enough to drive. There were four of them. All of them had the basic training, but only two of them had advanced training to equal her own training. The thought that worried her the most is that these men would have no problem taking her out if they were given the chance. She just needed to be on her "A" game when the time came. Reading through the written documents, she worked thoroughly to come up with a plan that would deal with Alvarez's hired muscle. Going over it again, she felt satisfied with what she was going to do. But now it was time to call Kate.

Kate Beckett had the rare freedom of sleeping in late. Since it was a Saturday she had little to do today. The extra added bonus was that she was off for the next 3 days, pending any body drops. Just lying in her bed, she kept going back to the statement that the caller said to her right before the line went dead, _Until tomorrow, detective. _This had her thinking that it was not a way for someone who did not know her to say good night. But there was no one she knew who could use that phrase, alive anyway. Deciding to get out of bed, she made her way to the shower and stepping in it felt good just to stand there under the soft spray of the tepid water traversing over her body. After toweling off, she got dressed in sweat pants and one of Rick's old flannel shirts. It was the plaid one she never gave back to him after she had been a guest at his place after her apartment had blown up so long ago. His scent was long gone from repeated washings, but her memory of him is still there.

Heading over to her coffee maker, she made herself a cup and turned and looked at the file folder on the kitchen counter. It contained the information that her mystery caller had wanted on Mr. Alvarez, but after she looked over the files she found nothing out of the ordinary. Taking her coffee, she sat down with the file and started to re-read it again. After looking at his reelection accounts, she noticed a couple of anomalies. Then looking at his personal accounts he had three she noticed that the 3rd account was just used for large deposits only. She matched those deposits with funds from his campaign accounts and found and noticed funds were transferred between the two accounts. But there was only a balance of $122,034.88 in his third account. It shows almost nine million going in but then the day it was deposited it was transferred to a phantom account. She had all his account information, but there was nine million unaccounted for.

Alexis had been thinking back to her dinner with Paige last night. It was great reconnecting with her in so many ways. She had missed her while she was away. Now all this would change, they had agreed to meet at least once a week to talk about what was going on in their lives and have a good meal together. Then Alexis needed to let her in on a little secret, she was not going to reveal everything she was doing, but just enough to get Paige to do what she needed her for. When dinner had ended she slid a letter envelope across the table to Paige.

"Whats this Alexis?"

"What I do sometimes puts my life in certain dangerous situations. Inside of that envelope is information that you will need to turn over to various media outlets and the city's corporate counsel if the event of my untimely demise." "With you being a lawyer I know that what I give you, you will keep in the strictest confidence."

Paige looks at Alexis with concern for her but when Alexis meets her eye to eye her look softens a little. Understanding she asks...

"Do you think it will ever come to that?"

"I am not sure but if you do not receive a call from me within 72 hours from now you are to release what is in that envelope." "And one more thing...do not open it for any reason except to fax it to the parties who need it."

Paige looks at Alexis like she will never see her again and it scares her. "Alexis is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Paige what your doing is more than enough."

Alexis got ready to start her day. The first order of business was placing a call to Kate. Walking over to the phones on the table she selects the next burner in sequence. Dialing her number, she waits patiently for Kate to answer.

"Hello."

"Detective Beckett, how are you this morning?"

I'm doing well, how are you?"

"Again Detective you don't need to concern yourself with my well being. But thanks for asking just the same."

Alexis paused for a second and then asked "Kate did you get me the information I asked for?"

"I did, but after I read the files I noticed some discrepancies."

Alexis knew that her curiosity would get the better of her, but she was in control here so she needed to set some ground rules.

"Detective while you might be curious about what you have read in those files I am only going to say this once and once only. Any information you acquire for me in the course of my mission, what you know could get you killed in the process."

"But I..." Alexis cuts her off and tells her that there is no trade-off here. While she wants Kate to be involved she won't see her killed in the process.

"Detective any further requests I ask of you I need to you to know that the information is for my eyes only. Do you understand?"

"I understand, but I may be able to help you."

"Detective while I admire your drive, your job as a cop comes first, there is no need to involve yourself with what I am doing."

"Can you meet me at the Battery Park ferry in an hour? Park your car at the entrance. I will see you then."

Hanging up Alexis is concerned that Kate might have made copies of the files. Hoping that she didn't she replaces the burner back into the charger she returns to her bedroom and gets dressed into her all black outfit. Remembering her balaclava she heads out to the meeting location. Hailing a cab to get her there, she asks the cabbie to make a pass around the location to do her recon run. Noticing that it looks pretty normal, she asks the cabbie to park about a block away from the ferry meet location. About 10 minutes passes by and she sees Kate's unmarked Charger pulls up and parks. Looking around the area she cautiously gets out of the cab and walks over to Kate's car. Again she slides up along the right side of the car and opens the rear door. Getting in she notices Kate with her eyes focused on the ferry that is just about to leave.

"Is there something wrong detective?"

Not turning around Kate answers "No a memory just came to mind and I was lost in it."

"Do you have something for me?"

Kate picks up the file and passes it to Alexis. Wondering if she should ask her any questions she thinks to herself _I need to get some answers from whoever this is._

Alexis quickly skims the file and reaches for the door handle to leave. Kate clears her throat and speaks looking forward still. "I need to know who you are. If what you're doing is so dangerous that you could get yourself killed then maybe I could assist you."

"Detective you are very determined aren't you? Like I told you before our relationship is still in its beginnings and as far as I am concerned I am not too sure giving you more to do would be a wise thing to do."

"I am up for the challenge."

"I know detective but for now let's see how this progresses okay? As for who I am that will be something that I will not reveal to anytime soon." "Kate are these the only copies of this file?" Alexis really needed to know for sure.

"Yes they are" she answers back.

Alexis places her hand on the seat back to push herself out of the car, but Kate reaches to hold it, Alexis was not resisting lets her touch her hand. What Kate feels is someone who could be very compassionate and caring. She gets the feeling that she is intense and calculated as well. Alexis pushes off the seat back and leaves the car.

Kate starts her car and pulls away hoping that she can get a glimpse of her mystery visitor. Coasting down the street, she can't believe that she has lost her in such a short time. Driving back to her apartment she needs to talk to Kevin and Javi.

While Kate and Alexis were in their meeting little did they know that across the street leaning up against a tree there was a person gathering intel on the both of them. He was associated with the crew that took care of Alvarez interests, but was not actually with the crew. He was just hired to gather information on one detective and find out who she was meeting with. With the speedy exit of the detective, he ventured out into the street to snap one last picture as she left.

Alexis returned back to the loft and thoroughly went over Alvarez's finances. She spent about 4 hours finding exactly what Kate had uncovered. But she would take it one step further. She has contacts in the Cayman Islands that could tell her if and when Mr. Alvarez or any person had made any large deposits recently. This needed to be done quickly because her window of opportunity was closing fast. Placing a call to her banking contact she told her what she needed, it would be about 4 or 5 hours to get the information she needed.

Considering a strenuous workout she pulled her auburn hair into a tight ponytail. She changed into her sports bra and spandex shorts and proceeded to beat up the speed bag and then take her frustration out on the cardio strike bag. After an hour of abusing the workout gear, she called it a day. Heading back to the loft from the gym, she needed a shower desperately.

She was seriously thinking about what Kate offered when they had their meeting, and while it was tempting she could not put her in a situation that would in any way cause her any harm. She lost her dad to violence but would not loose the only connection she had to him.

Alexis had decided to gather intel on the crew that was protecting Alvarez. It would turn out to be a long and tedious night. Leaving the loft, she set out to do just that.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Alexis was having a terrible night. She started out to gather intel on her targets. Theses men were very elusive. She was staking out the address that she obtained from her street contact. She was adjacent to the address in the building across the street. She had a bird's eye view of the coming and goings of Alvarez's team.

There was actually nothing to gather. They were very careful about keeping low and out of sight. Patience and they seemed to have a lot of it.

They were well equipped. She noticed they among other things they could be mobile in an instant. There was a military hum-vee parked outside of the location. She could only guess that it was armed with additional weapons. So she decided to play her trump card. Removing her burner phone, she dialed Alvarez's number. The phone connects...

"Mr. Alvarez" Alexis stated.

"Yes…Who is this? This is a private number!" He asks visibly agitated.

"Mr. Alvarez, please it's not that private if I can contact you on it." Alexis states.

"What do you want?" He asks visibly annoyed.

"I am going to give you the chance to come clean on your own." Alexis intones.

"What are you talking about? I am the Manhattan Borough President and I am a reputable one at that." He says reiterating the lie he tells to himself.

"Save it for the little people, Alvarez. I know that you're on the take." Alexis says.

"Are you so sure about that?" he asks trying to throw her off.

"Come on Mr. Alvarez, I know you are and I have the proof." Alexis says.

"I will crush you. You can not touch me." He arrogantly says incriminating himself.

"So Arrogant Mr. Alvarez…What happens when I release all your dirty dealings to the press? Oh you think those attack dogs you have will save you then think again. Oh Yes I know about them too." Alexis baits.

Alvarez is a little numb about the information that this caller might have on him. But he thinks that this is a big bluff. Whoever this is on the phone is just yanking his chain. So he gets bolder.

"Well, if you think you have the balls go ahead and try to leak whatever it is you have and we will see who believes who." He says.

The line goes dead. Alexis stares at her phone and can't believe he could be that brainless. Picking up her binoculars she focuses in on the entry door at the location across the street. She can see activity there just as she hoped. Four men exit the location and make their way across the street where she is.

She thinks to herself

"_This is not good. How did they find out that I am here?"_

Of course, Alexis has a back-up plan with a back-up plan for her back-up plan just in case. She grabs her phone and binoculars and makes a quick exit to the rear of the apartment. Opening the window that faces an alley and a lower building to her right she throws out the fire ladder and climbs down to the last rung of the ladder, the drop to the other rooftop is about 5 feet. She only needs to swing a little bit to the right to be able to make the jump the other rooftop. Using momentum, she swings effortlessly. Finding the right time she releases from the ladder then lands with a thud on the roof top below her. Tumbling to a crouching position, she hides behind an A/C chiller unit. Waiting she keeps an eye on the window she just left.

It takes a while but before long the team that she observed on the street is now where she was. She looks at her stopwatch and hits stop on the timer. 49 seconds. She knows now that this team might be more than she had anticipated. Waiting for them to finish she is patient. They clear the room finding no trace of her. She gives them a little more time before she leaves her cover.

/

Using the response time it took for Alvarez's team to get to where she was, she now has a plan to deal with them. Now she needs to follow up with the ultimatum she gave Alvarez yesterday. She has a contact in city hall and calls her to see if he did actually admit to taking the bribes. Listening to the voice on the other end what she thought was now confirmed. He never did anything. So now the ball was in her court.

Little did Alexis know she might have inadvertently given up her secret? While she was observing the crew that was after her, the same photographer was observing her hiding behind the A/C chiller unit. When she left so did he. He followed her to Broom Street but lost her in the middle of the block. Returning to report his findings to the team they had quickly posted a surveillance team on Broom Street.

/

Kate was hitting dead end after dead end. She knew that she recognized a person that was a dead on likeness for Alexis that day crossing the street but after searching almost every possible database there was only the fact that she had flew to Japan 5 years ago. There were no credit or debit card purchases, no cell phone footprint. There was no record of her returning back to the U.S.

She was frustrated. She was missing something. She needed to know what it was. Deciding to place a couple of calls overseas she had finally found a time line that made sense. She tracked Alexis to a martial arts school, but she had changed her last name to Rodgers. That's why she kept coming up empty. Armed with her new alias, she dug deeper and found that Alexis had been in two places during her time in Japan. She had taken advanced combat training at a retired Japanese soldier's compound for the last two years she was there. She found out that this was the last location she was. There was no trail afterward. Nor could she finds out when she had returned to the U.S.

Since she had her real name she decided to run financials on her. What she found out was mind blowing. Alexis was wealthy beyond any and all means. Apparently when Rick and Martha had died she inherited his fortune from his portfolio. He had amassed quite the portfolio. With what Martha had in her savings Alexis had come close to receiving just below 650 million dollars. This was just the liquid assets. She had millions in real estate too. The Hamptons summer house, the loft and then she noticed 2 properties that were unfamiliar to her. And since she was the sole heir to his fortune she had been receiving quarterly payments from all of Rick's books. Not to mention the biography that Black Pawn had cashed in on after his passing.

When she opened the account that had been receiving the quarterly payments she almost fell off the chair. The total of deposits from the last check was a little shy of $365,000.00. All she could think was wow. Coming back to the 2 addresses that she found she decided to run them. The first was a storefront in Brooklyn. The next was a hole in the wall apartment complex in the Bronx. Deciding that she might find some answers she writes both addresses down and heads to Brooklyn.

/

Pulling up to the first address she cautiously gets out of her unit. Not too sure if she is at the right address she checks it again and it's the right place. This place is not what she had imagined. Checking it out shows it has been unoccupied for years. Moving rather quickly back to her car, she can't see why Alexis would have property here. This is probably one of the most undesirable neighborhoods she has ever been.

/

Heading over to the Bronx, she arrives at the second address. This address is a little better, but not by much. Since Alexis owns the whole building she needs to knock on a couple of doors to get some information. Arriving at the first apartment number 2, she knocks lightly on the door. Hearing footsteps she backs up a step and places her right hand on the butt of her gun. The door creaks open slowly and an older woman pokes her head out.

"Yes can I help you" the elderly woman asks.

"Hello ma'am, I am Detective Beckett. I am wondering. Have you seen this woman around here recently?" Kate asks then shows the photo of Alexis.

The woman studies the picture.

"She could be a little older now..." Kate states.

"How much older?" the old woman asks

"She would be about 5 years older." Kate states as she is hopeful.

What the woman says next was far beyond her expectations.

"Come to think of it I have seen this girl. She has only been here a couple of times. I remember because the day we met it was raining out. I had just returned from the market. I was having trouble getting all my bags into my apartment. She was so nice. She helped my get everything in my apt. Then she stayed to help me put everything away." She recalls.

Kate had tears in her eyes. This was just like Alexis never turn anyone away in need.

"Would you tell me what apartment she is?" Kate asks hoping for a good result.

"Why yes, she was in apartment # 12 on the top floor." The old woman stated firmly.

"Thank you so much Ma'am for your cooperation." Kate says leaving to head upstairs.

"It was my pleasure my dear." She says as she shuts the door.

Kate climbs to the fifth floor. Walking over to the door she picks the lock.

Alexis looked at her phone and sees the alert. She could press the button then allow the charges to destroy everything and everyone in the apt. Her finger hovered over the button then she decided to see who it was that breeched her door.

Kate enters and she sees what shouldn't be here. It's a base of operations for someone. There are at least 4 laptops, recording and surveillance equipment. Walking over to the closet in the main room she opens the door and there right in front of her is a floor to ceiling safe. It has a digital combination pad and she has a thought.

Placing her finger on the combo pad she enters 4-1-3-1-9. The safe unlocks and Kate is now horrified. She has found out that Alexis has been her unknown visitor. No one else would use her shield number as a combination for a safe. Opening the safe is what really she scares her. Alexis is armed to the hilt with every type of weapon she could get her hands on. This includes Sniper rifles, handguns and even a crossbow.

/

Securing everything back exactly the way she had found it Kate backs slowly out of the room. Getting back into her car, her cell phone scares the crap out of her when it rings.

"Beckett" she says.

"Detective we need to meet again." The electronic voice says.

Kate now knows the truth about the voice and her identity.

"Ok where and when can we meet?" Kate answers.

"Detective, there is a small office building in mid-town. Can you be there in 1 hour?" The voice asks.

"Yes I will be there." Kate said.

"Good, I will text you the address." The voice says then hangs up.

Alexis forwards the address to Kate. Alexis gets ready to leave and makes sure that the alarm is reset at the property in the Bronx. She knew Kate had found it since she was alerted and watched on video what Kate did then recorded it too. Setting the alarm for the loft on the keypad she enters Kate's badge number then leaves.

Walking to the elevator she thinks she sees something out of the corner of her eye. Turning quickly she sees nothing but remains on alert just in case. The door slides open and she steps in.

Reaching over to press the ground floor button Alexis spies two men from Alvarez's team rush the elevator. Alexis suspecting an attack was in a defensive stance. The doors close and that's when all hell breaks loose inside the car.

**A/N Thanks Phnxgrl, your the best! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Since Alexis had anticipated an attack, she was ready for whatever they threw at her. The assassin to her right tried to throw a roundhouse punch at her, while the other one tried to kick her legs out from under her. Alexis ducks and his fist hit the back of the elevator wall. Screaming in pain while he holds his broken hand Alexis is now on her back from the leg swept kick the second assassin had given her. Thrusting to an upward position, she takes a combative stance. Waiting for the second assassin to make a move she waits. He realizes that she has tactical training and thinks about his next move.

In a split second...He rotates his body to try and come up behind her. She the throws a solid palm punch to his face sending his nasal bone directly into his brain and he drops instantly. Considering what she has just done she forgets about the assassin with the broken hand that is until she feels a sharp pain in her side. Raising her elbow she slams hard into his shoulder. When he starts to fall she brings up her right knee to his head and it throws him back into the wall of the elevator rendering him defenseless. For good measure, she drop kicks the both of them. The whole battle only took a few seconds.

By the time, the elevator doors open the fight is over. Walking out of the elevator the concierge looks at her oddly and she tells him that she was attacked in the elevator car., and he needs to call the police. He moves to the desk and does just that. As a parting glance back to him, as she reaches the entry doors he is still eying her with concern. It isn't until she goes to push the glass door open when she sees the reflection of herself in the glass door. Reaching for her side, the assassin with the broken hand was able to stick her with a 4 inch Buck hooked knife. Trying to remove turned out to be more painful to remove.

She made her way out of the lobby and had to get to Kate. She would be the only one to possibly get her the help that she needed. Striking down the thought to hail a cab with a knife in her side she opted to walk the 10 or so blocks to the meet location, she just hoped that her adrenalin would not wear off too soon.

Since it was late at night there was not too much pedestrian traffic. This was good. She hoped that she could hide the fact that there was a knife protruding from the side of her body.

She had only 2 blocks to go. There would be no recon this time around. She hopes that Alvarez thought that his team finished her off. She would still be cautious about her surroundings if not for her safety but for Kate's too. She was mid-block when she noticed Kate's unmarked Charger. She moved over to the street side of the sidewalk and almost falling onto the car she reached for the door handle. Her hand slipped off the handle but she steadied herself and tried again.

Kate felt the thump on the side of the car. Knowing it was her "unknown visitor" she sits looking forward ready to confront her with her identity. Alexis falls into the rear seat and is holding her side. She barely made it into Kate's car. Now the pain was excruciating. Kate still does not turn around but offers up the following statement...

"So Alexis, how does it feel to be back in New York?" She asks.

Getting no reply she looks into the rear view mirror and sees nothing. Turning to look back Kate is horrified at what she sees.

"Alexis what happened? Oh come on baby say something! Talk to me" Kate exclaims.

All Alexis can do is mumble something about the attack in the elevator. Kate hears nothing but a whisper from the front seat. She is losing consciousness by the second. Kate jumps from the driver's seat and races to the rear door. Opening it she instinctively goes to remove the knife. As soon as she grabs the knife's handle Alexis screams in pain. She has enough strength to tell her that it is a hook knife. It's most likely has her internal organs wrapped around the end of the hook. Pulling it out would mean certain death.

Kate is overwhelmed by what is happening and is losing control of the situation. Kate knows that if she does not get her to the hospital soon, she will most likely die right here. Slamming the car door she jumps back into the driver's seat. She turns the key and the police interceptor engine roars to life. Since she is in a cop car she uses all it's devices to maneuver through the traffic on the city streets. Lights and sirens move the traffic with ease and the hospital is only 15 blocks away.

Kate can't lose her too. She already lost Rick on her watch. She swears it won't happen again. Looking back to the rear seat she sees Alexis's hand resting between the seat back. Then she sees the cell phone in her hand with a number already pulled up on the contact list. Taking the phone from her she asks

"Do you want me to call this number Alexis?" Kate asks.

Kate looks to see her shaking her head yes.

"Who am I calling?" Kate asks.

All Alexis can say is "Safe house."

Kate hits send on the phone and before the phone actually rings a voice answers

"Current situation please." The voice says.

"I have Alexis Castle and she has been stabbed with a hook knife." Kate says.

"What is her current condition?" The voice responds.

"She has lost a lot of blood and right now is unconscious in the back of my car." Kate replies.

"Get her over to East 11th street mid-block between 3rd and 4th aves. We will have a team waiting for you. I don't need to stress the importance of time do I?" the voice replies.

"No you don't. We will be there in less than 5 minutes."

Kate floors the gas pedal and the Supercharged Charger instantly responds. They actually made it there in just under 3 minutes. As she pulls up to the address there is a medical team waiting there for them. The team swings into action and had the back door open almost before Kate came to a complete stop. Removing Alexis from the back of the car they place her on a gurney. They rush her through the doorway being held open by a nurse. The medical team and Alexis disappears through the doorway. Kate is following close behind her until another set of men armed with silenced AR-15's block her way.

"Your job is done, Detective. There is no need for you to enter into this safe house." The guard informs.

Kate is totally angry and lets that fact be known.

"I am a god dammed NYC police detective! You will let me have access to this building!" Kate exclaims.

"Detective, why do you think we do not know who exactly who you are? I have my orders you will not enter." The guard solemnly says.

Kate ignores the warnings then moves to enter the building. They just close ranks on her. Kate's attempts of rushing them were easily anticipated. They move and before she can react she has her right arm twisted behind her back. Almost falling due to the pain of her arm almost coming out of its socket, she relents just a little. When they see that she is relaxing, her arm is slowly lowered to her side.

"Are we going to have any more problems Detective?" The lead guard asks.

Kate lowers her head knowing that it was going to be impossible to get inside.

"No I'll leave quietly. I hope you know you have my partner's Daughter in there. I'm very protective of her. You better treat her right." Kate informs as she limps away holding her arm.

She walks over to the side of her car. The rear door is still opened and she slams it shut way too hard. Circling the car she opens the front door and is just about to get in when she hears...

"Wait Detective…" The lead guard shouts out.

One of the guards is talking into his headset and all she hears is.

"Rodger that." He says.

The guard walks over to her apprehensively.

"You have been given clearance to enter. You must have friends high up on the food chain." He says escorting her away from her car.

"You've have no idea." Kate responds.

Inside the building they frisk her and take her service weapon. At first Kate wants to protest but decides against it. Inside there is an inner door. The lone guard moves to one side and allows them to enter this doorway.

"Stay close to me." The lead guard says.

The space she enters is barren with no desks. There is no sign of any type of life. The windows are blacked out as to not let anybody see in. They walk about 25 feet into a second room and then down a hallway to a small operating theater on the left. The guard stops.

"You need to wait here." He says as he returns the way they came then disappears through the only doors visible.


End file.
